You are the light to my soul
by Curious Girl
Summary: She thought it was only a one-night-stand. But once she knew he was her boss, he wasn't a simple one-night-stand anymore.But being Troy Bolton's assistant takes more that she thought...A lot more. Suddenly, her one-night-stand is no longer what it seemed.
1. Play your cards right

**Chapter 1: Play your cards right**

The bar was filled with noise. Filled with human beings. Human beings who talked, flirted and laughed. All were drunk - well, most of them.

"Alright, I'll take another one." Gabriella Montez ordered.

"This is your tenth." Joe said while glancing at her.

"And it's her last one." Adriana, the red haired women said smiling.

Joe still glanced at the brunette in front of her.

"Fine, it'll be my last one as well." Gabriella agreed.

"Thanks." he said and opened the tequila bottle, "And I'd like you have your car keys, Ad."

"Car keys!" the drunken green eyed woman said and pulled them out of her black purse.

"Yes, car keys." Joe said and quickly grabbed them out of Ad's hands.

"I am here without a car." Gabriella answered honest.

"L.A.'s so much fun. I can't believe you haven't bought me up here earlier." her green eyes smiled and she giggled.

"Because as my cousin and mother of my... whatever, you shouldn't be out all night partying."

"Oh please. I could use a break for one night. Nick can watch the kids. After all, it's not like they'll throw a party at home. They're 10."

"Exactly. You should-"

"Bla bla bla. Stop all that. And drink another shot!" Aid said and smiled.

"To your motherhood."

"To Los Angeles!" Adriana said and they both drank the alcohol.

"So, I heard you got a job." Joe said as he took away the glasses.

"Yeah, well nothing big... but it'll make me a name in the business."

"Small steps until success, right? Where will you work and as what?"

"I'll start tomorrow and I'm the second assistant of Troy Bolton."

"Uhhh, I know that one! He's _hot_." Adriana said and stared into space.

"Really? Well I don't know him. But I will. So anyways, I'll be working there for about one year or two. After that I hope, I can finally work in the music industry as I am planning to."

"And he's what?"

"He's the owner of Wilson's records."

"Wilson who?"

"Wilson's records." Adriana said and rolled her eyes. "That's like _the_ hottest record company! They have them all under contract: Britney, , Black Eyed Peace, Diddy... Even all the youngsters are under contract with them. Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, Justin something... They have them all." Ad explained.

"And you will be the second assistant to the boss?" Joe asked.

The Spanish beauty nodded, "But he needs a second asisstant. I mean, he either has to have a huge ego _or_ he really is a busy man. We'll see." she said and shrugged.

"Either way, I should be going..." Ad said and got up, "Don't worry, I'll take a taxi. After all I'm living in Long Beach, which means the bill's on you!" Ad said and pointed at Gabriella.

"Alright. See you, Ad." she said and hugged her older cousin.

"Goodnight, Joe." she said to the bartender.

"Get home safely." Joe said and watched her walking out of his bar. "You know, there's this guy at 10 o'clock."

"I don't care." Gabriella said and watched her glass filling up with water.

"He kept eyeballing you for at least 10 minutes." Joe said, "And he's coming over..."

Gabriella took a sip of her water.

"Is this seat taken?" the man asked. He had bright turquoise eyes and dark blonde hair, which he gelled up. He was tall and looked sexy in his white chemise and dark jeans.

"Are you a surgeon?"

"No."

"Are you a lawyer?"

"No."

"Sit down then." Gabriella said with a soft smile on her lips. She brushed through her dark brown locks.

"One Scotch and one..."

"Martini."

"Martini for the lady." the turquoise eyed man ordered.

Joe glanced at her.

"What? It's just a Martini, Joe. It's not like-"

"Your last one."

She smiled, "I promise. My last one."

The bartender shoke his head and walked away to mix the drinks.

"So do you live in L.A.?" the man asked her.

"Just moved here." Gabriella answered nodding.

"Really? Where are you originally from?"

"Barcelona."

"You're Spanish?"

"Well, I don't look like Asian, do I?" she mocked him. "Are you from L.A.?"

He nodded, "Well I was raised here, but studied in England."

"What did you study?"

"Music and psychology."

"Interesting choice..." Gabriella said, but stopped knowing that she didn't even knew the man's name.

"It's Troy."

"Nice to meet you, Troy." Gabriella said grinning. Maybe this evening would end quite nice for her...

"Mind to tell me yours?"

She shrugged, "Maybe."

"Well what do I have to do to get your name?"

"Play your cards right, Troy..." she said grinning and took a sip of her Martini.

* * *

><p><strong>A new story everyone! I hope you like the first chapter of "You are the light to my soul". I don't really know where this story is going yet, since I've only written a couple of chapters yet. Give me your ideas.<strong>

**And review :)**

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	2. A simple onenight stand

**Chapter 2: A simple one-night stand**

The next morning Gabriella got woken up by the sun shining down at her.

She streched herself and suddenly remembered that today was her first day at work.

She sprung up and looked around herself. Well, this wasn't her apartment. _This_ was someone else's apartment. And that someone had a lot of style. She woke up in a very luxiours apartment. As she looked to her right she saw the most amazing view over Los Angeles. And to her left was a naked man. A very sexy naked man, Gabriella had to admit. As she got up, she realized that she was naked herself. The Spanish woman quickly got dressed, grabbed her purse and left the apartment unnoticed by the man who was sleeping in a comfortable bed back in the apartment.

Gabriella walked out of the huge building and streched her hand out to catch a taxi.

"Hillside Villas, please." Gabriella said and put her sunglasses on. Suddenly she realized that she left her favorite necklace in his apartment. Shit.

She was not ready for her first day. She was _so_ not ready.

Troy Bolton got woken up by the sun shining as well. Unlike his latest one-night stand, he was not in a rush to get to work. He got up and streched, as he looked behind himself he saw that the bed was already empty. The stunning woman he had slept with was already gone. Without even leaving her number - let alone her name.

He still didn't know the name of the most beautiful woman he had ever met. With confusion on his face her walked into his bathroom to get a shower - after all he had to show up at work. On his way he step onto something hard. He looked down at his feet and saw a golden necklace with a cherub charm. He picked the necklace up and smiled as he remembered the woman who wore it. Her chocolate brown eyes... and that smile. She had a nice smile, a nice warm and welcoming smile.

He placed the necklace on his nightstand before he walked to his bathroom.

Gabriella glanced at her watch as she drove into the parking deck. She was already three minutes late on her first day. Sounds like a great start for her new career.

Wearing a casual dark jeans along with brown Chloé boots and a white vitage blouse, the Spanish woman tried to hide her tiredness. After two cups of coffee to go from Starbucks, she even felt a little bit more awake - clearly the caffeine didn't show much of its' work yet.

Gabriella Montez looked helplessly at all of the filled parking spots. This was going to be a _great_ day!

It took her five minutes to find a parking spot. This parking deck was crazy full!

The brunette parked, grabbed her black Chanel purse and rushed out of her black convertible Mercedes CLK. She took a quick glance to the right and left as she ran to the exit. She opened her purse and looked for her calendar and cellphone, which was ringing. On her way she suddenly heard tires squeling. She glanced up and looked straight into the familiar iced blue eyes.

Troy Bolton pushed the brake, shocked by the whole situation. There she was. The most beautiful woman he had ever slept with. The woman with a lovely necklace. The amazing Spanish woman, who just run in front of his car!

Troy rolled down his window, "Are you okay?" he asked her casual.

The brunette nodded, "Sure..." she said and continued rushing to the elevator.

The silver Range Rover stood a couple more seconds in the same position, as Troy was trying to understand to which part of the building the brunette might belong to. Was it the magazine department of Elle? Was it the fashion department of Chanel? Or did she belong to Wilson's records?

He shook his head as he continued driving and looking for a parking spot. Lucky him, there was a spot next to a black convertible Mercedes CLK. He parked next to it and got out of his silver Range Rover Sport. Dressed in a simple blue chemise and dark blue jeans, the man walked to the elevator.

Gabriella Montez walked up to the information desk. "Hi, I'm Gabriella Montez the new-"

"Yeah, we've been waiting for you, Miss Montez." a dark blonde woman said. Her hair was up and she had piercy green eyes. "You're lucky. Mr. Bolton isn't in yet. Follow me, I'll show you around."

The brunette nodded and followed the blonde Goddess. "Alright, all of our recoding studios are in the left wing." she said and pointed to her left. "The offices are on the right. Mr. Bolton's office is the last door on the right. Your's is the last door on the left. That way you will be able to keep Mr. Bolton on track at all times."

Gabriella nodded, a little amazed by the size of the record company. She would get lost here, she was sure of it.

"As his assistant you have to make sure all of his appointments are set, you have to make calls to other record companies such as manager of some of the artists here. You start at 7 a.m. and finish at about 6 p.m.. Now don't get your hopes up that you may get out of here ealier when you come here ealier. It will probably be the other way around. We need an assistant who can survive here. This is not some sideline. You need to be focused and available at all times. If you screw up, you will be out sooner than you think. Understand?"

The brunette nodded, "Got it."

The blonde woman smiled, "But only after a year, all doors will be open for you. Survive one year and every other record company will want you."

Gabriella returned her smile.

"I'm Ashley, by the way."

"Nice to meet you, Ashley."

Suddenly the whole office went quite and all eyes started to turn behind Gabriella. Every single women stared dreamfully behind the Spanish beauty. Confused she turned around as well.

There he was. Her one-night stand. The man with the icy blue eyes and dark blonde messy hair. The same guy who nearly ran her over just minutes ago. He looked _hot_.

"And that's your boss." Ashley whispered.

Her one night stand was _her boss_? She had slept with her boss? This hottie was her boss? Why, why _why?_

Gabriella faked a smile, "I figured. And I also figured that probably every woman has their hots for him."

"Troy!" Ashley called the man over.

Troy hugged the blonde Goddess, "You kept the company running as I can see."

"Told ya that you can trust me. I wasn't going to ruin it any way..." she said and rolled her eyes, "After all I've got the genes."

"The genes?" he said laughing, "Just 'cause you're a Bolton does not mean you can naturally work in this business, Ash."

"Whatever, Troy." she said and rolled her eyes, "Anyways, this is your new assistant." she said and pointed to her left.

Troy didn't even recognize her at first. "Assistant? _You're_ my new assistant?"

Gabriella nodded, "Yeah. Nice to meet you, I'm Gabriella." she said smiling and shook his hand.

"Well then follow me." Troy said and walked away.

Gabriella stood there for a second.

"You should go." Ashley said.

"You're his sister?" Gabriella asked him shocked.

"Go!" she said and Gabriella rushed behind him.

She followed his boss in the long corridor. Suddenly he stopped and Gabriella nearly bumped into her.

"Nice to finally know your name." he said and walked into the room in front of him.

"Wait! What should I-"

The door opened again, "Your office is behind you. Make sure to contact Warner Brother's. We're throwing a release party in four days. Nothing's set yet, because that's your job. Find a location, make a guestlist and make sure everything runs smoothly. If your screw up, then-"

"Got it. Shall I get you a cup of coffee as well?" she asked with a soft smile on her lips.

"One espresso. I kinda need to get awake..."

"I totally get what you mean, Mr. Bolton." the brunette said.

"Oh and to set things straight: We're at work."

She nodded, "It was a simple one-night stand, Mr. Bolton. No small talk after-"

"Well, this kind of changed the whole situation, now that we work together..."

"The other option would be to fire me."

"Is my assistant asking me to fire her after..." he looked at his watch, "After only 20 minutes at her new work?"

"No! No, I am not asking of you... What I want is to... We should just forget what happened last night. Erase it out of our memory, alright?"

"I'm sorry, but what are you talking about?" the man said with a smile on his lips.

"Good... that's good."

"But I wouldn't mind to have a night like yesterday again..." he whispered to her.

She rolled her eyes, "What was that with business like at work, Mr. Bolton? Besides, I am not any good at... I'm not a great girlfriend."

"I wasn't..."

"Yeah but a couple of more nights like yesterday and you wanted to."

"Oh such a big ego... And I thought I was the one with it. I mean, after all my ego needs an assistant."

The brunette's mouth fell open, "You heard me?"

He shrugged, "Every single word."

"I...I'm so-"

"Don't apologize for having an opinion on something."

"Nice to know that you respect me." she said impressed.

"Who said that I respect you? You are my assistant. You are at the bottom. Of all jobs here, you have the worst. You need to be available 24/7. When I say jump you ask how high. Understand?"

She nodded, "Of course, Mr. Bolton."

"Good, now where's my coffee?" he asked her and slammed the door in front of her eyes.

"Okay, fine. When Mr. Bolton asks for me to jump, I ask how high... Alright... got it." Gabriella mumbled as she walked to the cafeteria to get a hot cup of coffee.

* * *

><p><strong>A new chapter everyone! It's a little bit longer than the last one. I hope you enjoyed reading it.<strong>

**Please review!**

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	3. Dating her would be like

**Chapter 3: Dating her would be like dating a prisoner**

Troy Bolton stared at the black display of his iMac in his office.

She was his fucking assistant! Out of _all_ jobs she could have here, she _has_ to be his assistant! He promised himself to not start something with an employee - let alone an assistant. But she... she seduced him with... with nothing and yet it was everything.

Fuck, she was his assistant! If she wasn't his assistant then he would... he would definitely want to start something with her. Anything. Because after last night he just had to. She was... Last night was... And he was... Her lips are... And that body... He would definitely try to see the Spanish beauty again. But was she worth breaking the rules? Was she worth _all of it_?

He got interrupted by knocking at his door, "Come in!" Troy ordered as he switched on the iMac.

His little sister, Ashley, walked in. "Why were you so amazed earlier?"

"Me amazed? You must've read my face wrong."

"No, I didn't. I know you. We know each other long enough." she said as she sat across him.

"I was not amazed."

She smiled, "You like her."

"No, I don't. She's my assistant. Dating her would be like dating a prisoner."

"Did you seriously compare the job of an assistant to a prisoner?" she asked him shocked.

He shrugged, "My point being, I don't like her. She's my assistant and that's all. No personal feelings inloved like-"

"Always, I know. But sooner or later you're going to fall in love, big boy. You're gonna fall head over heels and karma's going to give it _all_ back to it."

"And you're saying that because..."

"Because then you will feel exactly like you make every single women, excluding me, feel when you walk into the room. Every woman wants you. But you choose your one-night stands carefully. Sadly that's all you can manage to have: One night stands."

"Alright, get out, Ash." he said with anger in his tone.

"Excuse me?"

"I need to work and I am asking you the last time politely to leave my office."

"You're just mad at me because I've hit the bullseye there. You probably want the one woman you can't have."

"And that would be, Miss know-it-all?" he asked her annoyed.

"That would be-" Ashley got interrupted by a knocking at the door. Seconds later it opened. Gabriella walked in with a cup of coffee and placed it on the desk.

"Her." Ashley mouthed to her bigger brother.

"Sorry, if I interupted into anything, but I figured you might want your coffee while it's still hot." Without any more words, Gabriella left the office.

"That is ridiculous and you know it." Troy said as soon as Gabriella left the room.

"No, it's not and you know it." she half quoted him. "You want her because it's causing you to break the rules. Honestly, I don't think she wants you. I think she wants to surive here for one year, so she could... Well then again, I doubt that she would have doubts to sleep with you. After all you seem to be an attractive man."

"Okay could we stop talking about my sex life here?" he asked feeling akward.

"Why? Because Troy Bolton likes his assistant?"

"No because it's weird knowing that my step sister is talking about sex with me."

"Cry me a river, big boy. You may haven't noticed it yet, but-"

"Okay stop that. Stop talking and fucking leave my office. You have enough to do yourself."

"Alright fine, I am going." Ashley said, holding her hands up, "But you will remember my words."

Gabriella walked into the cafeteria of the company and got herself something to eat. With the tablet filled with fruits and vegetables, she searched for an empty seat.

"Over here, Gabriella!" she heard Ashley crying.

The brunette turned her head to two o'clock and smiled as she saw the blonde goddess surrounded by her friends. She walked over to the table, suddenly feeling all eyes on her.

"Okay, why is everyone staring at me?" she asked the group confused as she sat down.

"Because you're Troy Bolton's new assistant, duh!" a brunette with bright blue eyes said.

"And that would be such-"

"Well, darling let me teach you something here." a guy with blonde hair started, "Troy Bolton isn't capable of having a serious relationship and-"

"Thank you! I told him that ealier and he refuses to even listen to my words!" Ashley cried. "I mean that's-"

"I was talking not you, Ash. I am teaching here and you don't interrupt the teacher, now do you?" the man said and we all laughed.

"Gosh, I feel like I am back at High School." Gabriella said and brushed through her dark brown locks.

"Is that your natural hair color?" a red haired woman asked her as she walked up to the table, "So pretty..."

"Uhm, thanks." Gabriella said confused.

"Brittany, get your butt down. I am teaching Gabriella a lesson here."

"The lesson of Troy Bolton? Oh, I can't miss that." Brittany said and sat down.

"So Troy Bolton is not capable of having a real relationship. He usually gets a new assistant every five months. Because he sleeps with them and-"

"No he doesn't." Ashley interrupted him, "He has rules. One rule is to never start something with an employee. That's why every single woman, excluding me, would kill you if you started something with him."

"Fine, so Troy doesn't sleep with his assistant. But he gets bored easily. That's why he fires her after only five months."

"Or they screw up."

"Or they screw up." the guy repeated Ashley's words, "I'm Ryan by the way."

"Nice to meet you." Gabriella said and smiled.

"Oh and the brunette is Kimberly."

"Hi."

"Anyways, why was Troy so shocked earlier?" Ashley asked the Spanish brunette.

She shrugged, "Don't know and don't care. I am here to work for him, not to analyse him."

Ashley smiled, "I think he likes you."

"Whatever feelings he has, I don't return them. I just want to make it to one year in this building. One year would be just enough."

"You will see how hard it is to survive in Hollywood, honey." Kim said and smiled.

Gabriella's eyes stopped as she saw her boss talking to a gorgeous blonde. She was tall, had curly hair and incredibly blue eyes. "Who's that?" the brunette asked and nodded towards them.

"His ex. Sydney White."

"Wait, I thought you said that he doesn't date his em-"

"A huge mistake which caused the rules. Such a shame, I know." Kim said and sighed, "If only I were hat mistake... Just one night would be enough with that man."

"Keep on dreaming, sweetie." Ashley said, "But our Gabs here, she might have an actual shot."

"What? No. No! I thought we've already had this discussion. Not interested in this God of man... Totally not interested..." Gabriella said, getting lost in those moving images of her boss. She shook her head, "No, not interested. Not in him. There are plenty of other guys out there. Plenty."

"Yeah, keep on telling this to yourself, honey." Ryan said with a soft smile on his lips.

* * *

><p><strong>Another chapter of the story! So far, so good... right?<strong>

**Review to leave me your opinion on this chapter, please.**

**Hope you enjoyed it.**

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	4. Shall I feel special now?

**Chapter 4: Shall I feel special now?**

Hours later the whole record company was filled with only two souls. Gabriella felt exhausted as she walked into the cafeteria to make herself a cup of tea. But she couldn't stop working, because she had _so_ much to plan.

She had to reorganize every single document, because the last assistant appearantly didn't work here long enough to organize events and everything else chronically. It was a lot of work!

And she could do the work from here, instead of doing it at home. The brunette wanted to seperate work from home. She didn't want to turn into one of those people, who takes their work home.

At 10 p.m. her boss was still working as well. Troy Bolton had been in Hawaii the last two weeks. Vacation time he badly needed; at least that's what Ashley told her. She was a very nice woman at the age of twenty three. Gabriella herself was twenty two and her boss was twenty four.

The Montez woman couldn't help but feel attracted to her boss. Maybe it was because he was _so _incredibly good looking; or maybe it was because dating him would be breaking the rules... Or maybe it was both.

But Gabriella was good at hiding her emotions; she always had been. She learned that in the drama department back in High School. She was a good actress. That's why she was so good at handling four boyfriends at the same time.

She knew who she was meeting and when. She was good at hiding her feelings, she was good at ignoring them... But she kind of didn't want to when she saw her boss. Gosh, why did he have to be _so_ hot?

Troy Bolton was sitting in his office, starring at the view of Los Angeles at night. No one knew where he had been in those two weeks of vacation. He told his step sister that he went to Hawaii; no one knew he was in prison. He visited his best friend in New Mexico. Chad got into prison because of illegaly transporting drugs. But Chad never took drugs. Not even alcohol. Someone else put it into his luggage, and at the airport he got busted.

For a $1,000 bail, Troy got his best friend out of prison and erased the incident for another $20,000. After all, spending one million in only two weeks was even a lot for Troy.

He was wealthy, but he never had to get one of his friends out of prison; let alone his best friend. On top of it, Chad was an elite football player, so everyone would have noticed that he was missing, if he was gone for more than one week.

Trurth be told, he rather would have been in Hawaii instead of getting his best friend out of prison.

In two weeks he had missed a lot. He needed to get back on track with all the artist. He needed to make sure every single contract was still okay, and he needed to get through all of the applications... It was a lot of work to get back on track in Hollywood.

And then... Then there was Gabriella Montez on his mind. He couldn't get her out of his mind! He kept on thinking about her the whole day. Although he tried to get her as far away from him as possible.

Gabriella Montez drank out her last cup of tea for the night. She stared out of the window, sitting in her office. Los Angeles was _so_ beautiful at night. She still couldn't believe that she now lived in L.A. Only months ago she was still at Princeton University. Only months ago she was partying every single night,and waking up in a stranger's bed the next morning.

Only months ago she was a college student, but now she was actually an employee. Even though it was a lame job, doors would open up for her when she finished one year. And those doors would make her dream come true. Those doors would enable her to work as a producer and writer instead of bringing someone coffee and being on the phone the whole time.

But it was worth it. Every single minute was worth it. She would do anything to get one step closer to her dream.

Gabriella switched off her iMac as she felt her eyelids getting heavier. She was ready for bed. And hopefully this time her own bed.

She grabbed her purse and switched off the lights as she left Wilson's records. She was the last one in the building; or so she thought.

She walked into the elevator and pushed P for paking lot. As the doors were closing, she heard a familiar voice crying to hold the doors open. The voice she had heard all day. But she didn't see the matching face. Somehow, Troy avoided her; or at least that was her impression. So, once again, she did what she was ordered to do. After all when he said to jump; she asked how high.

"Thanks." Troy Bolton said as he reached the elevator.

"No problem, Mr. Bolton." Gabriella said smiling.

"I think you can call me Troy when no one else is around."

"Shall I feel special now?" she asked him, wondering if she was crossing a line here. Or if he already did.

He shrugged, "Whatever flatters you, Miss Montez."

"Look, you are my boss."

"I know that."

"And I am your employee." Gabriella continued explaining as the elevator doors closed, "And what we did last night was inappropriate."

"Really, was it? Because according to you I was..." Troy said looking straight into the brunette's eyes. She had such beautiful eyes... There, she was doing it again. She was seducing him without even doing anything.

"It may have been not so bad, but it was absolutely out of line."

"Out of line, you say?"

"Yes. We shouldn't turn it into something more frequent." Gabriella said, catching her air. She should stay focused. She should stay away from him. But _why_ does she feel _so_ attracted to this wonderful man then?

"Does that mean we won't or-"

Gabriella kissed him. Out of the blue she kissed him passionatly. "So now we have something to remember." she answered after the kiss.

He scanned her, ignoring all of his stupid rules.

"Stop looking at me like that." she said, frowning

"Like what?"

"Like you've seen me naked."

"But I have and I liked what I saw."

Gabriella turned her head away and stared at the closed elevator doors, "I am your assistant. You are my boss. I am a horrible girlfriend and you are probably an amazing boyfriend. You have your dream job, while I still have to fight to get closer to mine. Whatever that was earlier, its not good for neither of us."

"Then why did you kiss me?" he asked her and stepped closer to her.

She turned around and looked directly into his icy blue eyes. Then she shrugged. "No reason."

"Bullshit. You know the reason." he said staring into her eyes.

Gabriella shook her head, "I am your assistant. You're my-"

"Boss. I know. But can't we just forget it for a second?" he said, running his fingers through his sandy brown hair.

"I wish you weren't my boss and I weren't your assistant. Because then-" Troy interrupted the brunette by kissing her.

She returned his kiss and felt his hand brushing through her dark brown locks. Suddenly she felt the lust taking control of her - like the night before. She started to unbutton his white chemise. She wanted him right here, right now. And Troy didn't disagree; he pushed the STOP button.

**New chapter everyone! Hope you enjoyed reading it and please review.**

**Xoxo Nic**


	5. Friends with benefits?

**Chapter 5: Friends with benefits?**

The klick-klack sound of her Christian Louboutin shoes filled the empty parking deck. The only two cars left were a silver Range Rover Sport and a black convertible Mercedes CLK.

"Whatever that was in the elevator shouldn't be repeated." Gabriella said as she started to look for her car keys in her purse.

"That should be hard, but we'll try." Troy said grinning.

Gabriella agreed, "We should at least try."

They continued walking to their cars, "But it was interesting."

"Yeah...It was quite something." Gabriella agreed again as they reached their cars. "Seriously; we parked next to each other?"

Troy shrugged, "I think it's funny."

"How can _that_ be funny?" she asked him sarcastically.

"Anyways, I still have your necklace. I believe you forgot it when you... Uhm, earlier." Troy said and opened the passenger seat.

"Right." Gabriella remembered as she got in and got the necklace out of the Glove compartment.

"It's a nice necklace..."

"Thanks, it was a graduation present from my mom." suddenly she was confused as to why she just told him that.

"Anyways, have a good night." Troy said and started the car.

Gabriella knew she had to get out butsomething stopped her. No; not something. His beautiful eyes forced her to stay somehow.

"Uhm you can..." Troy started but stopped talking and started kissing her again.

As much as those two tried to stay away; they couldn't. It was harder for them to be apart than being together.

"We should stop..." Gabriella mumbled between the kisses.

"Sure, my place or yours?" he asked her and continued kissing the woman in the car.

"I'm serious. We can't date."

"Who said anything about dating?" he asked, kissing her neck.

"What do you mean?"

"How about we'd be-"

"Friends with benefits?" she asked him, "That would be acting like High Schoolers."

"Call it a sexual relationship then." he said and looked into her eyes, "No feeling attached, besides attraction obviously."

"No small talk after the sex. We can see other people, no sleeping over, no jealousy, no breakfast after it in the morning, and no falling in love... Just sex?"

"Just sex."

She thought about it for a second. Yeah, that might be not so bad after all. "Good. We have a sex-relationship then. But we keep it between us; I don't want the whole company coming after me. Oh and I am your lover and not your assitant while we..."

He nodded, "I completely agree and it's the same with me."

"But you don't have any dis-"

"No I am totally clean. Are you?"

"Of course I am." she answered eyeballing him sexually.

He licked his lips as she eyeballed him. Suddenly she puts her hands between his legs to push the seat back. "The parking lot's empty." Gabriella said.

"The parking lot's empty" he repeated assuring her, feeling his penis getting aroused with every second they spend talking.

"Good." Gabriella said and sat on his hips.

Then she started to kiss him sexually. He returned her kisses as he started to open her blouse again. He kissed his way down to her navel and heard her moaned. He loved her moans. He pulled his hips up, so she could remove his toursers.

"The sexual relationship was the best idea ever." Troy whispered and lifted up Gabriella's chin so he could kiss her once more.

Gabriella returned his kiss and felt his hands opening her bra. Seconds later she felt his lips on her nipples, which caused her to moan even more. Then she felt his hands wandering down her waist and opening her jeans, pulling them down to her knees. Then he kissed her back up to herback up to her navel. Gabriella leaned against the wheel causing it to hoot.

She laughed, "Oops." she excused herself.

"No need to excuse yourself, beauty." Troy said and brushed his fingers on her skin and her thong, slowly removing it. Gabriella moaned as she felt her thong falling down her knees, "Mhm...Your hands are amazing." she said sexually.

Troy kissed her neck, "Hopefully, not only my hands." he whispered between the kisses.

"No, not only your hands...Your whole body is amazing." Gabriella said and shared some hot kisses with him; feeling his aroused penis under her tights. She helped him out of his boxer shorts as well. Then she slowly sat on him, placing her elbows behind herself, on the left and right side of the wheel...

* * *

><p><strong>A short but new chapter :)<strong>

**Hope you enjoyed reading and please review.**

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	6. On the run 247

**Chapter 6: On the run 24/7**

_Six months later:_

Gabriella woke up alone in her king sized bed. It felt good to sleep in her own bed again. She streched and got up. Then she stopped her alarm from ringing. Another day in Hollywood. Another day at work.

She staggered into her closet and started to look for something to wear. She picked out a bright blue skinny jeans, a black top and her black Blahniks.

She yawned as she walked into her bathroom. Letting the water drop on her naked skin; Gabriella smiled. Maybe her new job and all of it's advantages wasn't so bad...

_Flashback_

Feeling kisses on her neck;_Gabriella opened the door of her apartment._

_"So, this is your apartment...after almost six months it's nice to know where you live." Troy said as he looked around._

_"You counted the months?" she asked him confused._

_"For the protocol. In case I get-"_

_"No talking." Gabriella said and kissed him again._

_Troy shut the front door open with a kick and started to open Gabriella's blouse._

_Gabriella felt the heat rising inside of her again. He had some kind of effect on her, which on one side scared her but on the other, she never wanted to miss this feeling again._

_End of Flashback_

Troy Bolton brushed his teeth; looking into the mirror at himself. This woman had some kind of effect on him. She seduced him just like that. He was even having a sexual relationship with her! He was breaking all of his rules! For a woman. For a woman named Gabriella Montez.

He spit out the toothpaste and washed his face. Gabriella was definitely the most beautiful woman he had ever met. And then sex with her was...beyond words.

Gabriella got out of her car; holding her car keys in one hand and the two cups of coffee in the other.

Running to the elevator; she catched it and pushed the fourth button. She smiled, she was getting use to her new job. She would survive here for at least another six months.

With a smile on her lips; Gabriella walked into Wilson's records.

"Morning Gabs." Ashley said with a smile on her face.

"Good morning. Coffee?" she asked her colleague.

"Thanks." she said and took a sip of her coffee. "How are you?"

"Good. I feel like I'm going to survive that one year here."

The green eyed woman smiled, "Listen, we all want to go out tonight. Are you in?"

"Sure. Where to?"

"A club opening. It's called Area."

"Sounds good." Gabriella agreed, "Anyways, I better go. The boss is probably already waiting for me."

"Oh he isn't here yet." Ashley said.

"Really?" she asked her surprised.

"Yeah...guess it was a _long_ night for him." Ashley said and smiled.

Gabriella returned her smile; knowing only too well how long the night had been for him. "Anyways, see you later." Gabriella said and walked away.

Ashley Bolton watched the brunette walking to her office. Seconds later her blonde friend walked up to her.

"You think she'll survive here?" Ryan asked her as he walked up to her.

She nodded, "You know, I think she will. She has the killer instict. Besides, Troy likes something about her. And I don't even think he knows what that is. She fits into _all of this_ here."

"Maybe she'll surprise us." Ryan said and walked away.

Ashley smiled; she would make it here.

Gabriella placed the second coffee on the desk in Troy Bolton's office. His office was neutral. The only colors were a bright blue and a bright green. No black, no white. He had the most amazing view of Los Angeles and there was a picture frame on his desk.

Gabriella took a closer look at the picture. It was taken about three years ago and it showed Troy along with his step sister Ashley. They were both smiling at the camera; showing every single teeth. It was a nice picture and probably taken at some formal event in Hawaii or so, due to Ashley's pink hibiscus bloom in the blonde hair. It was taken in an American Shot.

Gabriella smiled and walked into her office. She switched on her IMac and opened her Mail account. 45 new mails popped up.

She sighed, "Let's get to work then."

She opened one e-mail as her cell rang, "Hello?"

"Go to Warner Brother's and get all the transfer paperwork for every single artist." her boss ordered.

"Got it. Something else?"

"No, that would be it." he said and hung up.

"Right." Gabriella said to herself, "First go to Warner Brother's and read the e-mails on the way."

Gabriella dialed her best friend's number, "Ugh, I hate my new job."

"Really, why's that?" Sharpay asked her friend over the phone.

"Because I have to be on the run 24/7." Gabriella said as she walked into the elevator again.

"Welcome to the real life, babe. How's your boss anyway?"

"My boss is my boss..."

"Well, Troy Bolton's the hottest bachelor alive."

"And I am getting another release party together; which is in five days. I have to organize everything by myself. I thought there were event planning companies like Bolthouse or something."

"Well my company does plan events; but only club openings like Area tonight. You should come."

"To watch you working?"

"Yeah and to have free acess, free drinks and a fabulous night."

"Sounds nice. I was coming anyway."

"Because you love your best friend?"

"Yes and because I already got invited by a colleague."

"Uhh sounds like someone's making friends."

"Oh please. You know that I am not good at being a good friend."

"You've got to be kidding me! You're the best friend ever!"

"I know, but I am not at work to make friends. I want to-"

"become a producer, I know. But a couple of friends here and there aren't that bad, right?"

Gabriella nodded as she walked to her car, "You're right. Absolutely right."

"Good, see you later." Sharpay said and hung up.

* * *

><p><strong>A new chapter. Hope you liked it :). Please review!<strong>

**Xoxo Nic**

**P.S.: Thanks again to my Beta Reader dann965 :)!  
><strong>


	7. Jason

**Chapter 7: Jason**

Gabriella slowly walked into the enormous building of Warner Brother's.

"Hi, I'm Mr. Bolton's assistant and I am here to get some transfer papers." the brunette said to the woman behind the information desk.

"Yes; I got them right here." the blonde woman said and got up.

Gabriella followed her into a room which was filled with white boxes. "Okay; so you need to get those five boxes" she said and pointed in front of her.

"Five boxes?" Gabriella said amazed.

"You haven't been working in this business very long, have you?" she said laughing.

"No, I guess not."

"Don't worry; I'll help you to get the boxes into your car."

"No, don't worry. I can do this by myself." Gabriella said and picked up one box. "See? I am strong enough."

"Alright; I need to get back to work anyway." the blonde woman said and walked out of the room.

"Thanks for your help!" Gabriella cried and walked forward with the box in her hands.

The Montez woman walked to the elevator, trying not to lose her footing. "Oh hold that one please!" Gabriella cried and slowly ran to the elevator.

But no one heard her, so the elevator doors closed and Gabriella's box smashed on the ground and the folders fell out. "Shit!" Gabriella cursed.

"Here you go." a man said and handed her two folders.

"Thanks." Gabriella said and looked into his beautiful green eyes.

"No problem." the man said and helped her getting the other folders. "So are you a newbie?"

"Oh no, I don't work here. I work at Wilson's."

"Right, you must be the new assistant then."

Gabriella smiled, "Word travels fast, doesn't it?"

"I'm Jason." the man introduced himself.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Gabriella." she said and got into the elevator with Jason behind her.

"So how long have you been working for Mr. Bolton?"

"Well only a couple of months but I already feel overwhelmed." Gabriella confessed.

"That's totally normal in this business. You'll get used to it." Jason said and followed her as she walked out of the elevator.

"Is it? I didn't think it was that much work when I applied." Gabriella said as they both walked to her car.

"Well, what are you hoping to achieve after one year as his assistant?"

"Truthfully; I want to be a producer and song writer... And to get myself some doors open, I have to be an assistant."

"A music producer huh?" Jason asked her impressed.

"Yeah." Gabriella said and opened her car. "Get the folders into the trunk."

"Would you like to go on a date with me?" Jason asked the brunette as she loaded her car with the folders.

"Sure. I'd like that." Gabriella said with a smile on her lips.

"Good. How about Friday night?"

"Friday night it is."

"I'll pick you up at eight." Jason said and smiled himself, "Alright, I have to get back to work. You can get my number at the information desk."

"Great, I'll text you my address then." she said smiling as she watched him walking away.

"See you Friday evening." he whispered. Gabriella had no idea what she just got into. Absolutely no idea.

45 minutes later Gabriella was back at the office, carrying five folders filled with transfer papers. The Spanish beauty nearly lost her footing as she slowly walked to her office.

"Need help?" Kim asked the brunette as she turned around.

"It would be quite nice, yeah." Gabriella said and gave two boxes to Kim.

"Whoa, these boxes are heavy." she said as she helped carrying them to Troy's office.

"Is he here yet?" Gabriella asked on her way to his office.

"Yep, just got in. And somehow he doesn't seem to be in a good mood." Kim as they both stopped in front of Mr. Bolton's office.

"Just place them in front of his office. I'll get them in myself. Thanks for your help, Kim."

"No problem. Oh and you're coming tonight, right?"

"Yeah, of course. My friend is working at Bolt house, the company which is opening Area. It's going to be awesome."

Kim smiled, "See you tonight then." she said and walked away.

Gabriella took a deep breath before she knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Troy cried from inside.

Gabriella took two boxes and opened the door before she walked in. "The transfer papers, you asked for Mr. Bolton." she said and smiled politely, "Where shall I place them?"

"On my desk. Are there more?"

"Three more boxes." Gabriella answered as she placed them on the desk.

"Alright, I'll get the other three." Troy said and got up before Gabriella could even say a word.

"Thanks." she said and smiled. "Are you okay?" she asked him worried as he placed the other three boxes on top of the others.

"Why are you worried about my health status?" he asked her as he closed the door behind himself.

She shrugged, "You are my boss. When you have a bad day, I have a bad day because you will express your anger on me."

"It's just a bad day, alright? We won't be able to get the artist we want." he explained and sat down on his chair again.

"So what? It's just one artist."

"You have a lot to learn, if you want to survive here." Troy said smiling, "One artist means a lot."

"But you have so many great artists already."

"Yeah; but there's this newcomer. She is a little crazy but her style is unique. She will change the music industry forever and it would be amazing to have her under our contract. But she wants Warner Brother's instead of Wilson's. Jason Whaler got her instead of me, which really sucks because we could use some more promotion." he said and stroke through his hair, "We haven't head a number one single in a very long time."

_Gosh you even look hot when you're worried_ Gabriella thought.

"You'll get another one very soon." she tried to comfort him.

"You should get back to work."

"I should..." Gabriella said and started to walk to her office, "Keep your head up, alright?"

* * *

><p><strong>New chapter.<strong>

**Please review :)**

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	8. A onetime thing

**Chapter 8: A one-time thing**

Gabriella was getting ready in her apartment for the club opening of Area. She decided to wear a silver tight dress along with some black Blahniks. She let her curls fall loosely on her shoulders. Her make-up was light, but yet not too light for a club opening. She chose to wear small earrings and one white gold bracelet.

Her cell rang as she walked out of her apartment. "Ugh, I'm never going to get one free night again." Gabriella mumbled as she walked out of the apartment. She started to look for her cellphone, "Hello?"

"What are you doing right now?" Jason asked her.

"Jason? Who gave you my number?"

"I just know the right people, Gabriella."

The brunette smiled as she got into her car, "I'm actually going to the club opening of Area. What about you?"

"Perfect, then we'll see each other."

"You're gonna be there as well?"

"Yeah. Shall I pick you up? I know that it's crazy to find a parking spot at night in Los Angeles."

She smiled, "Sure. But only if you promise to keep me safe the whole night."

"You have my word." he said and hung up.

Did he even know her address? Well, perhaps he did. He just knew the right people.

Minutes later a black Range Rover pulled over, "Ready for the night?" Jason asked her as he stretched over to open the door for the brunette.

"Nice to see you so soon again Jason." she said smiling.

"You know, you are lucky that you are Troy Bolton's assistant."

"Really, why's that?" she asked him as he continued driving.

"Because you get to know the important people really quickly. I mean like you met me."

"I guess I'm lucky then." she said and rolled her eyes.

"I didn't mean it like that. You will meet probably a handful of important people tonight. Make sure they remember you. You will meet producers, song writers, company owners... One day you will need them."

Area was the perfect club. It was a huge club with an enormous bar and dance floor. Of course there was a VIP area on the second floor. Luckily, Gabriella now belonged to the VIPs.

The club was filled with people dancing. Bodies were pressed against each other. Kisses were exchanged. The music was blowing out of the speakers. The drinks were getting a refill every ten seconds. All in all, Gabriella was at the right place to forget her work for a couple of hours. Ready to forget about the professional relationship with her boss, but not ready to forget about their other relationship.

"I'll get us some drinks." Jason said over the music, "What do you want?"

"A bloody Mary." she answered and he nodded before he left her alone.

Gabriella scanned the area before she found her colleagues partying. She smiled as she walked over to them, "Hi, guys."

"Gabriella, let me tell you something: You look stunning." Ryan said and hugged her. "Seriously, you're going to have all eyes on you."

"Was that Jason you came with?" Brittany asked.

Gabriella nodded, "He offered."

Kim smiled, "Only six months in Hollywood and you are already causing drama."

"Why's that?"

"Well, you see Jason and Troy are best friends." Ashley explained, "They met during college at Yale."

Gabriella nodded, "But why am I causing drama?"

"Because Troy obviously likes you, and so does Jason."

"Wait; is he coming tonight?" Brittany asked.

Kim shrugged, "You never know with Mr. Bolton. All we know is that it would be good for the image of the company."

"One bloody Mary and one Scotch please." Jason ordered at the bar.

"Will be ready in just a sec, Mr. Whaler." the bartender said.

Jason turned around and scanned the surroundings. Then he spotted the amazingly beautiful brunette talking to some of her friends probably. Oh yeah; he would definitely get under her silver dress... He smiled, she was definitely the bomb. Jason couldn't believe how Troy could have hired her and not hooked up with her. She's too hot to not hook up with. He liked his lips as he eyeballed Gabriella. Too hot to miss.

Jason picked up the drinks and turned around only to see his best friend entering the club.

Wearing a simple black chemise and jeans, Troy Bolton walked over to the bar. He ordered a Scotch as well and spotted his friend. He walked over to Jason, "Hey." he said and saw his drinks, "Bloody Mary? That's not like you."

"No, it's for my date." Jason said and grinned.

"Your date, huh? Who's the lucky one?" Troy asked as he got his Scotch.

"Your assistant. If you don't want to fuck her; then I will. Because damn, she's hot! And she already makes me horny, so I can't wait for later this evening." Jason said and nodded to the direction where Gabriella was standing.

Troy spotted the Spanish beauty right away. That silver tight Chanel dress flattered her body perfectly and the dark brown locks gave the look something irresistible. She looked even better than hot. She looked even better than earlier today. She was hotter than hot.

Troy tried to hide his emotions, "Just don't turn that into a relationship."

"Please... me in a relationship? I don't have relationship in my vocabulary, Troy."

"Good to know. See you later." Troy said and left his best friend. He got out his cellphone and started texting like crazy.

Gabriella laughed as she felt Jason's hands on her hips, "Your drink." he said and she turned around to take her bloody Mary.

"Thank you very much." she said and took a sip.

"Any clue if Troy's coming, Jason?" Ashley asked him.

The blonde guy nodded; "Yeah, I just talked with him." he said and looked at Gabriella again, "He's a little pissed that I am here with his assistant."

"Why? Did he want me to come with him? Not gonna happen." Gabriella answered and eyeballed Jason; "Besides, you are way hotter than my boss is." she lied.

Brittany stared at her shocked by the words she just heard, "Excuse me, but did you just say that Jason's hotter than Troy?" she asked her in her ear.

Gabriella shook her head, "Must've misheard me."

Brit nodded, "I better."

"Okay, who wants to dance?" Ashley asked the group. "Ryan, Brit, and Kim you're with me."

"You'd like to dance?" Jason asked his date as Gabriella took another sip of her drink.

Gabriella nodded and heard her cell ringing; "Just a second..." she said and opened her mail box.

_'n the mood for a quickie?'_

Gabriella smiled, "I'll be right back, Jason. I have to use to ladies room. Enjoy yourself on the dance floor."

Jason watched her walking away. Did she just dump him?

_'Wher r u?'_ Gabriella texted back.

_'Priv8 room. Down the long thin corridor 3rd door rite n then the 2nd door on the left.'_

_'y r u n a priv8 room?'_

_'Area has rooms 4... Such things.'_

Gabriella smiled as she walked down the long thin corridor. Hollywood was a world for itself. They even had room for quickies! She suddenly felt like in a burlesque show as she saw the women in their narrow skirts.

She finally reached the second door on the left and opened it. "We have to make this quick. I told him that I am at the bathroom."

The room was filled with shelves of condoms in a bowl and a dark red couch at the end of the room. There was no window, but there was a mirror. The only light were candles.

"So I heard you met Jason, my date for tonight, earlier." Gabriella said as she scanned her surroundings.

Troy turned around, holding a condom "Yes, I met my best friend earlier."

"And now you wanted to fuck me before he fucks me?" she asked him as she closed the door behind herself, "Be honest."

"Yes." he said, hoping that she would stay.

She was silent as she eyeballed him, "You don't need that." she said nodded towards his right hand.

"Does that mean you don't want to -" he asked her confused.

"No, it means that I am on the pill. And I know that you are clean. Of course there has to be another way of protection, if you don't want to get pregnant. Which I don't. But lucky you, I am taking the pill." she said and walked slowly towards him. "You look hot." she whispered into his ear.

"Likewise." he said.

"Hotter than that friend of yours." she whispered and stroke through his hair.

"Does that mean that there's a debate of who's better looking?"

She shrugged, "All I know is that the attraction to you is stronger than to your friend."

"But you will fuck him anyway." Troy said looking at her.

"Call me a hoe, but I want to have fun as long as I am still young. It's not like you don't do it yourself."

"I didn't mean to-"

"Oh no but you did." she whispered and kissed his right ear. Troy started to open her silver dress.

She stopped his hand, "One more thing."

"What?" he asked her.

"This is a one-time thing."

"What is?" he asked her confused.

"The sex out of jealousy. I'm doing this once and I am not doing it again. We've set the rules and it wouldn't be fair if we break them all the time."

"But this is no-" Gabriella stopped Troy by kissing him.

He returned her kiss and opened her dress. Gabriella moaned as she felt his hands making its way down her body. Then she opened his trousers and let them drop to the floor. She kissed his neck as she helped him getting out of his black chemise and heard him moan. She was about to pull down his boxer shorts when he stopped her with his hands. The two breathed heavily as he pushed Gabriella against the stone wall and opened her bra with one hand while the other was holding both of her arms over her head. Gabriella continued kissing his neck as she felt her strapless purple bra falling on the floor. Seconds later she felt his lips on her breasts. Gosh, this man was a God!

He kissed his way down to her navel and removed her purple thong. They continued exchanging hot kisses as Gabriella pulled down his black Armani boxer shorts. Seconds later she felt herself pressed against the stone wall and she wrapped her right leg around his hip. Breathing heavily and staring into each other's eyes, as Troy entered her. He got her other leg and wrapped it around his hip as he started to pull in and out slowly. Gabriella kissed him and they both started to moan as pleasure was making its way to both of them.

Jason was dancing on the dance floor, with one woman in front of him and the other behind him. He loved being surrounded by beautiful women. He didn't care if they were stupid or intelligent. All he cared about was to fuck them really really hard.

Although he was enjoying the female company, he was still wondering where his date was.

Gabriella checked her make-up in the mirror and saw that her lipstick was smeared and her hair was a little too messy.

"Gosh, I look like I've had too much fun." Gabriella said to herself in the mirror.

"I hope you had." Troy's voice rang in her ears.

She quickly fixed it and turned around to see Troy Bolton getting dressed. She smiled dirtily as he eyeballed him.

"What?" He asked her as he buttoned up his chemise.

Without any word Gabriella walked over to him and pushed him on the red couch. She sat on his lap and started to kiss his neck. "Are you ready for a fourth round?" she whispered and felt Troy's hand's pulling up her dress a little bit.

"What about Jason?" he asked her, "Won't he be suspicious?"

"No. All he wants is someone to fuck. He doesn't care who that is." Gabriella said into the icy blue eyes.

Troy knew that she was right. But yet he was impressed about how fast Gabriella could read Jason's mind. "I think he really wants to fuck you."

"And I know that I really want to fuck you right now. So stop talking and let me do all the work this time." she said grinning before she felt his lips crashing against hers.

Jason walked up to Ashley, Kim, Brittany and Ryan. "Have you guys seen Gabriella?"

Ashley shook her head, "No. She must be at the bathroom. The queue is crazy long." Ashley lied. She saw Gabriella walking down the thin long corridor, texting like crazy. Someone was having way too much fun right now.

"Alright, I'm gonna go dance a little more. Tell me when you see her." Jason said and walked away.

"Uh-oh, seems like someone dumped our Jason." Brit said and smiled.

"No she didn't. She couldn't have." Kim answered.

"Oh but she did. And she's having way too much fun with someone else right now." Ashley answered grinning.

"Has anyone seen Troy? He seems to be lost as well." Ryan asked the clique.

"He probably went home." Kim said and took a sip of her Martini.

"Yeah, for sure he did..." Ashley said grinning like crazy. Those two were hooking up! Of course they were. She knew he liked her! And after six months it's about time.

Gabriella searched for her thong as she got off of the couch. She quickly found it and looked for her bra. Although the room was tiny, her clothes were everywhere. She found her bra and was about to close it as she felt male hands on her back, who took over and closed her bra. Then she felt kisses on her shoulder, "Mhm... We should stop, if we don't want to be here all night."

"Oh I wouldn't mind spending the night with you in this room." Troy answered and helped her getting into her dress.

She turned around and placed her hands on his wonderful chest, "But we can't make five out of a one-time thing." she answered to him and looked for her shoes.

Troy handed her the right shoe, "We could go over to my apartment."

"And continue where we stopped?" she asked him with a dirty grin on her lips, "No thanks. I still need to see how your friend is in bed. Gotta save some of the lust."

"I doubt that there is much of it left."

"Oh you have no idea, big boy... absolutely no idea." Gabriella said and got into her left shoe.

"One night you will show me." he said and watched her walking to the door, "Gabriella."

The Spanish beauty turned around, "Yeah?"

"You look breath-taking tonight."

Gabriella felt her cheeks blushing, so she quickly turned around and left the room.

Troy watched her closing the door and let himself fall on the red couch again. He buried his head in his hands, as he suddenly felt happy. No, this couldn't be happening. Not to him. Not with her. Not now.

He smiled as he suddenly saw one earring on the floor. He picked it up and put it in one of his trouser pockets.

"You look breath-taking tonight." What was that? Why did he say that? Why was this even bothering her so much? Why did it make her feel so strange when he said that? What the hell was that?

Gabriella walked quickly back to the dance floor again as she felt her cell ringing.

_'Jasons not happy alone. u shuld com n cheer him up. After all he is ur d8 2nite.'_ Ashley texted her

_'Srry, I was busy... I'll b there n a sec. Make sure he doesn't move.'_

_'Yeh n give Troy my greetings.'_

Gabriella's breath got stuck. Did she see them? She decided to play cool. _'Give them urself, when you c him. I was busy w/ someone else. There r more men than Jason n Troy n the club.'_

'Rite. Srry, I was just guessin... Guess I was wrong'

If only she knew that she was right. Gabriella walked back to the clique in the back corner of the club. Suddenly a pair of hands stopped her, "Gabriella."

She turned around and saw her best friend. "Sharpay!" she said and hugged her. "This club is awesome!"

"I know, right?" the blonde said smiling, "With whom did you just hook up?" she asked her best friend suspicously.

"Someone I just met. Hey, he was good looking and I am about to get drunk."

Sharpay smiled, "Sooner or later you will fall in love and then its bye bye to hooking up every night and hello to heartbreak pain."

Gabriella rolled her eyes, "Not my thing. Relationships are so not my thing."

"You should try it anyway. I mean, I am happy with my boyfriend."

Gabriella returned her best friend's smile, "Alright, I should get going. My date's waiting for me."

The blonde woman burst out of laughter, "You cheated on your date?"

"No. We aren't together."

"Oh, sorry. So you ditched your date to have sex with someone else?" she asked her shocked.

Gabriella shrugged, "So what? It's not like he's interested in me."

"He is your date."

"And he will get what he wants."

"Did it ever occur to you that he might like you?" she asked her best friend surprised.

"He likes my body. But he doesn't like me because he doesn't even know me."

"And now whose fault is that?"

"Not mine. He could have asked me for a date in a restaurant. Instead we went to a club. The goal's set. He just wants to fuck me and I don't mind."

"Yeah, because you suffer a lack of sex since 1944."

Gabriella laughed and hit her friend lightly, "Stop it."

"Okay, I better keep going. After all I am here to work and not to have fun. I just wanted to say hi. Oh and maybe we could meet up for lunch tomorrow?"

"Sure. At 3 p.m. At Maui's?" she asked her best friend and she nodded before she left.

Gabriella spotted Jason and her friends in the club and walked over to them. She hugged him from behind and whispered into his ear, "Are you ready to leave this club and get a little comfortable in your apartment?"

Jason smiled, "I'm in."

"Good, then go ahead. I'll be right there." she said and watched Jason leave.

"Where are Brit, Ryan and Kim?"

"They already left my beauty. I was the only one who kept Jason here."

"I owe you big time, you know." Gabriella said, "I'll make it up to you."

"And you really weren't hooking up with my brother?"

Gabriella shook her head, "No. Why?"

"Because he left as well and is now entering the club, too." she said with her eyes on him and shrugged, "I guess he was enjoying himself with someone else then."

"I told you I won't hook up with my boss. I am his assistant and what kind of assistant would that be if I hooked up with him?"

"At least you could make sure to keep your job then. But then again, I hope you are really good at sex, because I can imagine that he gets bored easily. I mean, if you guys were hooking up... If."

"It's scary that you can talk about your brother's sex life just like that."

She shrugged, "He's my step brother and I am used to him hooking up with other girls every night. It would be a miracle if he finally fell in love with one of them. Hey, where is your other earring?"

"Huh?" Gabriella asked and placed both hands on her ears. Shit, she lost a $ 25,000 earring! "I must've lost it on the dance floor."

"But you weren't even dancing."

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you guys liked the new chapter. Please review.<strong>

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	9. I missed the feeling of

**Chapter 9: I missed the feeling of...**

In the same night Gabriella rushed out of Jason's apartment, as he was sleeping. The sex with him was good... No it was horrible.

She didn't even have an orgasm; she had to fake it. And Jason was trying so hard to... He was just trying too hard. Don't get her wrong, Jason was still hot in Gabriella's eyes but something was missing... And it didn't get better the second time around.

She quickly got into her dress and grabbed her underwear, shoes and purse. Then she stormed out of the apartment and quietly closed the door. She looked at her cellphone's display to see the time. It was still night - three a.m. to be exact. She looked up and recognized the building. She had been there before. But when?

She walked down the corridor until she reached the elevator.

She pushed the button and waited for the elevator as she got into her thong and slowly got into her shoes. The elevator doors opened and a familiar man was standing in it. He laughed as he saw the brunette, "Already leaving?" he asked her as he stepped out.

"You guys are neighbors?" Gabriella asked him shocked. Crap!

"Was it that bad, that you are already leaving?"

Gabriella was silent. "I mean... He... He is your best friend. I'm not gonna say anything bad about him; but..."

"But...?" he continued asking.

"Okay, could you lower your voice a little bit? I don't want him to hear me. Or your other neighbors." Gabriella said in a whisper tone as she looked around.

The dark blonde man grinned, "That bad, huh?"

"Ugh, could someone just give me some good sex? I need good sex right now!"

Troy laughed again and opened the door of his apartment, "Come in, if you want to." he said holding the door open.

Gabriella stared at him for a second, "What about our rules?"

"We broke them... Five times tonight. I think we can break them once more."

"Four times. This is the fifth." Gabriella said as she walked into his apartment.

"You're counting?" he asked her surprised.

"No; I just have a good memory when it comes to things like this..." the brunette answered as she looked around.

Troy Bolton's apartment was as stunning as he was. Once you walked in you were greeting by a lot of space, an open kitchen and a huge living room with a fireplace. The kitchen was held in a light beige; and the living room had dark red paint. On the right were stairs, which led up to the Master bedroom, another bathroom, a guest room and his office at home.

"Do you finally admit that the sex earlier was out of jealousy?" Gabriella said as she sat down on a chair in his open kitchen.

"No." Troy said as he got out of his wet coat.

"Is it raining outside?"

"Like cats and dogs. You'd be all wet if you went out like that." Troy answered as he got out of his shoes. "So I guess the night wasn't as good as you planned it would be?"

"No the night was good. Just the part with Jason was... umm not so pleasant."

Troy laughed, "My best friend's horrible at sex, that's what you're saying."

"No! I am not saying that he is horrible..." Gabriella said, watching him opening the wine cooler.

"Wine?"

The brunette nodded, "He's just... Ugh, he didn't even give me an orgasm! I mean I couldn't even... Do you know how frustrating this is?"

Troy grinned as he filled both glasses with red wine, "So what did you do? You didn't tell him..."

"No! No, of course not! I faked it."

He burst out of laugher, "You faked it? How can you fake it?"

"You never...?"

"No. I never felt the need to."

"Oh you are so lucky to be a man." Gabriella said and took a sip of her wine, "That's a good wine, you know."

"You do this more often?"

"Well, yeah." Gabriella said and took a sip of her wine. "I mean you have to. At least we used a condom; I don't want to know how many women had to have the urge to fake an orgasm before me..." Gabriella answered honestly.

Troy laughed, "So it wasn't good."

"No. It wasn't bad, but... I missed the climax. And you have to have a solid climax to experience good sex."

"Hm..." Troy agreed and took a sip of his wine, "I wouldn't have guessed that Jason's bad in bed..."

Gabriella shrugged, "Most of the times the good looking guys are bad and the nerds are good."

"Seriously?"

Gabriella laughed, "Nah! I am just messing with you."

"But you never had to... I mean with..."

"No, not with you. The sex with you is good. Really good. Otherwise we wouldn't be doing what we are doing."

Troy nodded, understand what she meant.

"Why are you guys neighbors anyway?"

Troy shrugged, "We used to live together in college... And one day I found out that he lived next to me. We were close once. Now we're just friends who see each other occasionally. I'm busy with work, that I didn't even have the chance to see his apartment yet."

"Oh believe me it's not worth seeing." Gabriella answered, drinking out her wine.

Troy laughed again, "I've never heard anyone talking so badly about him like you."

"Well you told me to be honest to you when we're not working... So that's what I'm doing. I'm doing what you asked for." Gabriella answered.

If only she knew how right she was. Gabriella was exactly what Troy asked for in a woman. She was funny, good in bed, she seemed to understand him and she was honest.

"Another glass?"

"Yes, please." Gabriella said looking around, "Do you even use the kitchen?"

"Not very often, but sometimes I do." he answered as he filled up the glass with the red liquid.

"How come that Ashley's your step sister? Did your mom re-marry?"

"No, but my father did. My parents split when I was 14. My Mom stayed in England, while my father moved to Miami. There he met Katherine. They fell in love and got married; making Ashley my step sister... She stepped in when I had to leave the company for two weeks."

"So you trust her?"

"Of course."

"How was Hawaii?" she asked him.

He was silent.

"I thought you were in Hawaii." Gabriella said, unsure if he had been in Hawaii or some other place.

"No I wasn't." he stopped. He didn't feel like sharing.

Gabriella nodded, as if she was understanding his actions. "Are you close with her? I mean Ashley."

"Yeah. We grew very close together. And I do love her like a real sister nowadays."

"You have any other siblings?" she asked him.

"Yeah, two more sisters and one brother."

"Big family you come from." the brunette answered and drank out the glass. "Do they live in England?"

"No, all over the world. Jack lives in Australia with my youngest sister Chloe. Madeline lives in Spain with her husband. And Karen lives in Hawaii."

"All over the world..." she echoed him.

"What about you?" he asked her as he filled up her glass and his again.

"Only child. Parents divorced as well. Maybe that's why I don't believe in love. I have lots of cousins. They are like my sisters."

"I know what you mean..." Troy said and Gabriella knew what he was referring to. He was referring to the part of not believing in love.

She shrugged, "Perhaps that's even why I am not a good girlfriend."

"Maybe you just haven't been in love yet."

She smiled, "Oh no, I have. Many times. But it never worked out."

"Got your heart broken?"

"No, broke other's instead." she said and looked away. When did this conversation get so personal? So... Almost uncomfortable? "What about you?"

"Got my heart broken once and now I'm not capable of having a relationship." he answered honestly. Something made it incredibly easy to talk to Gabriella. He could be open to her without worrying of what she might think, say or do.

"Love sucks." Gabriella said and held her glass up high.

"Love sucks." Troy agreed and chinked with Gabriella's glass.

"You know what I missed with Jason while we were...?"

"What did you miss?" Troy asked as he stared into the brunette's chocolate brown eyes.

"I missed the feeling..." she stopped. She was getting way out of line here.

"The feeling of?" he asked her and placed his hand over hers.

She rejected her hand right away, "I should go."

"Gabriella." he tried to stop the brunette. "Please. Stay."

"No. Coming here was a bad idea."

"No it wasn't. Don't be stupid. It's raining cats and dogs out there. You're gonna get sick." he tried to make her stay.

But she refused to listen to him, "I'll be alright."

"At least take a jacket from me." he said and handed her his jacket.

"You're gonna get it back." she mumbled as she left his apartment.

She had been that close to confess something she should never even think of thinking of! She was that close to tell him that he made her feel loved. She was that close to tell him that she might be falling for him. Falling for a man, who isn't capable of having a relationship. How ironic.

Gabriella got into the elevator and left all of her feelings behind. "Great job Gabs."

"You totally screwed this up." Troy said to himself.

Troy stood in his apartment for minutes, until he was able to move again. He knew that he had fallen for her. He felt that it wasn't only attraction which he felt for this woman. There was something more. He adored her smile, he laughed when she laughed, and he shared her pain... He was in love with a woman, who isn't capable of having a relationship. How ironic.

"Great Job, Troy Bolton." he said and walked upstairs to go to bed. Even though he would rather be with her right now.

Gabriella got out of his wet jacket and closed the front door of her apartment. She got out of her shoes and sighed. She was all wet. And she was going to be sick, she felt it.

The brunette stared at the black Armani coat which was hanging on a hanger. It smelled like him. Even though it was wet, it kept her warm...

Gabriella walked into her bedroom and got changed into her pajamas. Then she washed her face and brushed her teeth.

She stared at her reflection.

He had been right. She should have stayed.

* * *

><p><strong>A new chapter :D. Hope you enjoyed reading it and please review.<strong>

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	10. Flowers

**Chapter 10: Flowers**

The next day both human beings didn't share a lot. They were both business like and treated each other professionally. Gabriella got him his daily coffee and he accepted it without a word. Gabriella made sure every call had been returned, that everything was set for the release party of Ke$ha's new record. She made sure everything was okay. Everything on professional level anyway.

She was answering an e-mail when she heard a knock on her door. How odd,

"Come in!" she cried as she continued answering the mail.

"Are you Gabriella Montez?"

"Yeah, that's me." the brunette said and looked up. The courier was holding a huge bouquet of pink and white lillies.

"These are for you." he said and placed the bouquet on her desk.

"Uhm, thanks... Do I have to sign anywhere?"

"No, I'm just the deliverer." he said and smiled, "Have a nice day."

"You, too." Gabriella said, her eyes still on the bouquet. She smelled them and smiled. But who were they from? The brunette looked for a card and found a tiny white one.

_Thanks for last night._

_Jason_

Jason? The flowers were from Jason?

"Gabriella-" she heard Troy's voice. She looked up and saw his shocked face. "Flowers. I... I mean, nice flowers."

"Yeah. So, what do you want?" she said staring at him.

"I need you to go to... _He_sent you flowers?" he asked the brunette shocked.

She nodded, "He sent me flowers. Really nice flowers. Actually my favorites to be correct." she loved seeing the jealousy in his eyes.

He shook his head and the jealousy disappeared, "I need you to fly to New York. There are some things you need to take care of."

"Okay." she said casually. She was flying to New York! Just like that. "Will you come along?"

_I wish_. He thought. "No, I have some stuff to take care of here in LA." he answered, his eyes were still on the flowers. Jason thought last night had been good!

"Well, good then." Troy said and walked out of his assistant's office.

"Wait!" she cried and he turned around, "How long will I be in New York?"

"A minimum of five weeks."

"Five weeks? But what about the release party?"

"Amber will take care of it. She's your replacement while you are gone." he said and left.

Flowers! He fucking sent her flowers and she even liked them! Perhaps she will see him again. And again. And again until they are in a relationship. Maybe she will start a relationship with him. Gosh, that would be... His pay back. That would be karma taking it _all _back on him.

Troy already found a replacement for her! He already found another woman he could fuck with! Gabriella was incredibly mad and hurt at the same time. _How_could he do this to her? How could he sent her to New York for _five_fucking weeks! Five weeks! I mean, he can't do that! _Why_would he do that?

With anger building up in her she got up from her chair and stormed into the office across from her, without even bothering to knock. Troy was already on the phone, but she didn't care. She refused to care for the next five minutes. She refused to feel anything but anger.

"Why are you doing this to me?" she yelled at him.

"I'm gonna have to call you back, Sara. Something just popped up." Troy said formally to the other caller and hung up. "Close the door if you don't want the others hearing me yelling at you because of your unprofessional behavior." he said in a cool, calm voice - as cool as possible.

Gabriella slammed the door shut, "You can't just sent me of to New York for six weeks!"

"Yes I can. And it's five weeks. You work for me. I am the authority, I decide what you do and where you will go to."

Gabriella couldn't believe what she just heard, "No, you didn't decide that on a professional level."

"Oh yes I did." he lied.

"Just because you can't seperate personal from professional, doesn't mean _I_have to suffer for it."

"You're not suffering over anything. You should be grateful for getting such an amazing opportunity. New York's a great city. A mecca for artists of any kind."

"Grateful?" Gabriella asked him and faked a laugh, "I feel _honored_to be your slave. _Honored_to go to New York for six fucking weeks."

"Five."

"Then it is five!" Gabriella yelled at him and waved with her hands.

"Are you done?" he asked calmly.

"Yes."

"Good. Sit down." he ordered and leaned forward, "Now let me tell you something. I will always be professional with you when we are in this building. I will never make a decision based on personal feelings. I am giving you an opportunity and you should be grateful for such an offer. You get to go to New York, to expand your social life, to experience a whole new world of music industry...you get to meet people there, people who you will probablygo back to in your future life. I made this decision because _I can_." he said in an angry voice and stared into her eyes, "And don't you ever _dare_to think about yelling at me!" he yelled at her. "If anyone gets to yell then it is me. Not you, understand, Miss Montez?" he said in a loud voice.

She nodded, "Yes."

He just showed her the line, which she appearently already crossed. Yet, Gabriella couldn't move.

"Is there anything else you want?" Troy asked as he scrolled through his e-mails on his Blackberry. Another 65 to answer...

"Why are you doing this to me?" she asked in a low, breakable voice. She didn't mean it professionally. She was on the emotional level right now. And he knew it. He knew what she meant. Like he always does.

"Because I need to get away from you."

"Because of last night-"

"This has nothing to do with last night! I don't mix personal life with my professional life." he answered in a cool voice.

Gabriella nodded, "And yet you did with your answer." she mumbled before leaving his office.

* * *

><p><strong>New chapter :). Hope you enjoyed reading it. Please review.<strong>

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	11. A chance of a lifetime

**Chapter 11: A chance of a lifetime**

New York was amazing for Gabriella. Wilson's records in New York was even better than in Los Angeles. She didn't work as an assistant that much in New York. She was rather like an intern, to be honest.

Today was a casting for some new artists. At 11 p.m. three producers and Gabriella had already seen 500 artists. She was tired, but yet she kept on getting many cups of coffees for her bosses. Gabriella had been spending three weeks in New York and she loved it. Apart from the internship-like job, she had been invited to events, record release parties, charity galas...

She was amazed by New York. New York was truly a mecca for artists of any kind. Troy had been right.

"Okay guys, last one for tonight." Taylor said, clapping into his hands. He was the business leader in New York.

"I am so tired." Jessica said and yawned, "We've been sitting here since 8 in the morning. There's gotta be some good artist out there. I mean, we're in New York City!"

"We've decided to take 20 so far..." Nathan answered, looking through the files. "Okay, the last one is a video message."

"Video?" Jessica asked.

"She's from Australia and had to go back due to family problems. Or so she writes." Taylor answered and pushed the play button. "Her name's Ellie Goulding."

A blonde woman appeared with dark brown eyes and introduced herself before she started to play on her Guitar. Her voice was soft and easy. She didn't seem to not hit a note right.

"I... I don't know." Jessica said, "She doesn't seem extraordinary."

"But her voice is not so bad." Nathan said and brushed through his dark brown locks.

"I'm unsure about her." Taylor agreed with them and took a sip of his coffee. "I don't know."

Gabriella smiled and swing along her music. "She has potential." she said.

All the three of them looked at her.

"Potential?" Jessica asked her shocked.

"Just think about how much you can work with that voice. She isn't going to be a soul or jazz singer for sure, but you could go into the pop scene with her."

"But is she going to get us some number one hits?" Taylor asked himself.

"Well... She has one of the voices, which you hear on soundtracks of your favorite series. That voice is going to stuck in your head no matter what. She could deliver a fun summer hit and maybe a winter hit, which perhaps even go unto the top ten... But she's gonna need to work on that breathing." Gabriella answered his question.

"Alright, poppet, we'll give her a shot." Taylor said nodding, "But only if you work with her on her breath techniques."

"But I am not a vocal coach. You should hire her a vocal coach. And a song writer. And a producer."

"You have to be all that in one. You want to be a producer? Well there's your shot. Take it or leave it, poppet. You only get one chance."

"Are you serious?"

"As serious as ever."

"Alright then, thank you." Gabriella said, unsure whether this just happened or not.

Three weeks later:

Troy Bolton was lying awake in his bed. Alone in his nearly loft alike apartment. In his luxury apartment. And yet he was alone. Alone in his bed. Unable to sleep. With his mind only on her. With his thoughts focused on her. It didn't matter whether she was in Los Angeles or in New York. He still felt attracted to her.

He still felt connected to her. He felt his heart beating faster when he thought about her - which was often. It was frustrating. He couldn't get his mind off of her. He couldn't ignore his feelings towards her. He didn't like it. He didn't like seeing himself getting so dependent on someone else. But he liked being with her. He liked talking to her. He loved making her laugh. He missed seeing her. He missed her voice. Her laugh, her presence...

He missed everything about her.

Her Blackberry vibrated in the middle of the night. Gabriella Montez rolled over in her king sized bed with her sleepy eyes open. She couldn't sleep. She couldn't even think of one minute of sleep. All she could think of was him. All she could think of was his last words to her. He needed time. Time from her. Space from her. How much time did he need? How much space did he require? What was he doing right now? Was he as sleepless as she was?

Gabriella looked at the display of her Blackberry. One unread text message. Why not read and response to it now? She couldn't sleep anyway. The brunette opened the text.

"I hope u like NY." said the text.

It was a simple text. A simple text message from Troy Bolton. She only didn't knew if it was from her boss or her friend.

"I do like NY. Very much actually. U were rite bout wat u said. NY is a mecca for artists." she responded. Simple and yet it didn't say too much. She had to play it safe. She needed to be safe.

"I didnt expect u 2 b awake this time. Then again, ur probably out clubbin." So he was writing her as a friend. As a friend who can't sleep. Just like her.

"No... No clubs 4 me."

"Y's that? That doesnt seem like u."

"I dont feel so well. Im gettin tired a lot faster lately. I cant seem 2 find any sleep."

"Y not? Do u miss ur home?"

"No thats not it. My home is everywhere and nowhere. I jus cant seem 2 fall asleep. Its weird I know. Cant really explain it."

"Cant sleep either."

"Figured. Since we're writing at 4 am. How's L.A.?"

"Busy. As always."

"How r u?"

"Sleepless in Los Angeles."

"Well wat do they call when everythin intersects then?"

"The Bermuda triangle."

"Youve seen it! Youve seen that movie. I thought u were jokin."

"Thats wat sleepless nights and cable TV does to you."

"That symptom is my fucking wife. Which movie?"

"When Harry Met Sally."

"You're desperate. That's what you are. Desperate and lonely."

"In Los Angeles."

"In L.A..."

"Wbu?"

"Me? Im not desperate and lonely. Never been. Especially not in NY."

"Yet you are writin me 4 n the mornin."

"Im bored. Thats wat I am in New York. Bored and sleepless.'

I could be fun, if you want. I could be pensive, uhh... smart, superstitious, brave? And I, uhh, I can be light on my feet. I could be whatever you want. You just tell me what you want, and I'm gonna b that for you.

' Which movie?"

"Mhm... That Oscar film. Notebook or something. You know all these quotes? You have them in your head."

"No. I hav a notebook lying n front of me w/ all those incredible quotes. From movies I hav never seen. Believ it or not, but I am not lying here."

"I dont believe u. You're a woman. Women love those kind of movies."

"Now whats that supposed to mean? Wbu? You've clearly seen those movies as well. So does that make you a woman right now?"

"It does not make a woman out of me. I am a man. A full man. U kno it and I kno it."

"Still. u should think bout your words, Mr."

"Or wat?"

"Or I will stop writin! That's wat's gonna happen."

"You're bluffing."

"No, I am not. You know that I am stubborn."

"True. So with how many guys have u had sex w/ yet?"

"u mean in NY?"

"Where else?"

"I thought... Never mind."

"ur answer?"

"Wbu?"

"Me? I am not n NY."

"But u're in LA."

"So LA is better than NY?"

"Dont know. U tell me."

"LA's definitely better. Otherwise I'd be living in New York right now."

"NY has less paparazzi."

"I don't mind them."

"You need them for ur ego."

"U got me busted."

The brunette giggled and decided to get out of the bed. She switched on the lights and stared at the New Yorker skyline in the night. New York City was beautiful. At night or during the day. But Los Angeles had one thing New York didn't have. And that was Troy Bolton. That's why she liked LA more than NY. Her phone vibrated in her hands. "Im sorry 4 yellin u."

"Did u jus apologize 2 me?"

"Srry, I should have written apology before the actual apology."

"u yelled me b/c it was rite. Im not mad."

"u're not?"

"No. Im not mad b/c u yelled. Its not ur voice that hurt me. It was ur words."

"Then Im srry 4 my words."

"u dont hav 2 b srry for sayin wat u think or feel. That's nonsense."

"You confuse me."

"Likewise." the brunette wrote back and stroke through her locks. She wasn't mad at him. No, she really wasn't. All she felt was...nostalgia. She was homesick. But not for Los Angeles. She was homesick for him. "u shuld go 2 bed. Try 2 sleep. Stop writing me."

"ure probably rite." he texted her back.

The brunette sighed before she made her way back to her own, lonely, king sized bed. Just as she laid her Blackberry on the night stand, it vibrated again.

"Gabriella?"

"Wat part bout 'u shuld go 2 bed' dont u get?"

"Do u miss me?"

She didn't answer. Her eyes stared at the tiny display of her cellphone. What did that mean? Did that mean that she missed the sex? Him as her lover? Him as her boss? Or did that mean that she missed him as... Him?

"No." she wrote back and switched off her cellphone. She needed sleep and so did he.

* * *

><p><strong>A new chapter. Hope you enjoyed reading it. Please review because I love reading your reviews!<strong>

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	12. He's messing with me

**Chapter 12: He's messing with me**

The brunette was getting ready in her Plaza single room. It was nearly seven p.m. And she was supposed to be there in half an hour. The brunette wasn't dressed nor did she have any make-up on. She wasn't anywhere near being ready, because she had been throwing up the whole time she had been home. She probably had food poisoning from that Sushi bar in Greenwich Village. She wasn't going to go back there for sure.

Gabriella washed her face and brushed through her dark brown locks. She was not going to miss Heidi Klum's annual charity Gala. She hadn't been invited last year, but this time...this time she was invited and would go. Nothing could keep her from attending this Gala-not even a stupid food poisoning. The invitation had been sent to her two weeks ago. And she wouldn't miss it for the world. This was one of the most important events she would ever want to go to. If not the most important event.

The Montez woman put her hair up in a messy bun and started to work on her make up.

Stupid Troy Bolton. Stupid hottest bachelor alive. Stupid boss. Because of him, she couldn't enjoy getting ready. Because he was messing with her. Messing with her feelings and her mind. She kept on thinking about him when she was in a taxi, when she was working with Ellie Goulding, when she was getting coffee... Even when she was getting ready for an event. Who did he think he was? How could he do that to her? There were plenty men in New York. Plenty but yet she didn't feel attracted to them. Not in the way she felt attracted to him.

Gabriella sighed as she was in her closet and started to look for a dress to wear. She was going to enjoy this evening, no matter how much Troy Bolton was messing with her head. No matter how many drinks she had to drink to forget him for at least five minutes. She would do that. She would enjoy this evening.

The MET was filled with paparazzi and journalists. In front of it was of course the red carpet with hundreds of celebs walking on it. Heidi Klum's Gala was the event to be at.

Scarlett Johansson, Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Alba, Madonna, Meg Ryan, Katie Holmes, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, George Clooney... Name it and they're there.

Gabriella got out of her limousine and stepped on the red carpet. Immediately the press started to question her, take pictures of her, making it impossible to walk through them.

Keeping her head down and security in front of her, the brunette made her way through the uncontrollable amount of paparazzi taking pictures of her. She didn't expect the press to be so crazy. But then again, this was New York. Everything was different in New York.

Once she was inside she was greeted by the most glamorous side of New York. The MET was amazing and especially the interior design was better than amazing.

The brunette smiled as she saw her New Yorker friends already gossiping and laughing.

She walked over to the group, "Hey guys."

"You made it." Olivia said and hugged her.

"Of course I made it."

"I thought you wouldn't come." Clara answered, "I mean we all heard you puking at the office today."

"I swear I will never ever eat Sushi again. Especially not in the village." she answered and looked around, "So, are there any good looking men around?"

"And she's in the game again." Gabriella heard a voice behind her and turned around. "Ryan!" she said and hugged him. "Why are you here?"

"Because I got invited, duh!" he said and rolled his eyes.

"No, I mean... Are the others here as well?" she asked him surprised.

"If you mean Kim and Amber by others than no. If you mean Ashley than no as well. And Jason...Well, Jason's not here either."

The brunette nodded. So he wasn't here either. "Oh, totally forgot to introduce you guys. Everyone this is Ryan. Ryan these are Olivia, Charles, Jennifer and Mitch." she introduced him.

"Nice to meet you all." the blonde man said.

Hours later the six friends were laughing and gossiping about other attenders.

"I'll get myself something to drink. Anyone else?" she asked the group.

They all shook their head. "No thanks."

She nodded and started to walk to the bar. She slowly made her way through the crowd, passing the world's most famous actors, actresses, singers, models, producers and business men. All were talking, laughing, joking and gossiping. All were having a good time.

"One glass of water please." the brunette ordered at the bar and turned around to scan her surroundings. She saw Emma Roberts talking to her Aunt Julia. Angelina was fighting with her boyfriend Brad Pitt. Tyra Banks seemed to be having a serious conversation with her colleague Kate Moss. Jennifer Aniston seemed to be in love with a guy whom name she didn't knew. Selena Gomez was laughing at her boyfriend's jokes. Alessandra Ambrosio was dancing with her boyfriend on the dance floor. Hilary Duff was talking to some business men. Karolina Kurkova, Gisele Bundchen and Adriana Lima were all having a blast with the men around them. Megan Fox was fighting with her husband. All in all it looked like an average Gala.

Her eyes stopped as she noticed him. There was a man surrounded by four beautiful models. Each was a Victoria's Secret Angel. Each woman was beautiful in their own way. All women seemed to try to get the man's attention for themselves. But he just enjoyed the company with his million dollar smile. He enjoyed that he was being adored - in a $5,000 suit.

She was shocked when the man turned around to reveal his face. No that couldn't be. He couldn't be here. After all these days she just wanted to have one free evening! One evening without him on her mind. Without her wondering how he was feeling. Without her...She just wanted one night. And he couldn't even give her that.

His million dollar smile dropped as he saw her. She was standing at the bar and she looked him directly in his crystal blue eyes. She looked amazing in that red dress by Valentino. It fit her body perfectly. She looked even more beautiful than he remembered. Her skin was flawless. Her smile lit fireworks inside of him and those eyes...

She looked away and brushed through her dark brown locks. This was some joke. He couldn't be here. She couldn't enjoy her time with him here. She needed to get away. Away from him. She grabbed her glass and started her way back to her friends.

Troy watched the beauty storming away from the bar towards a group of friends. "Excuse me, ladies." he said before he left the four women.

Gabriella reached her friends and sighed, "Guys, I'm gonna head back to the hotel. I guess I don't feel so well after all."

"Or is that because you saw Troy Bolton?" Ryan asked her.

"What? He's here?" Olivia asked. "Where? I need to talk to him! Gosh, he's so hot."

"That's not because of him. Don't be stupid." the brunette ensured Ryan, "I ate something bad at the restaurant yesterday. I've been puking the whole day."

"It's true." Jennifer confirmed.

"Alright, get back safely." Ryan said and hugged her, "And if it's because of him, I understand it completely." he whispered into her ear.

The brunette rolled her eyes, "See you."

Gabriella slowly made her way to the exit of the party. On her way she threw her check into a box. The charity gala was for the children in Africa. To build schools and homes for them and their families.

Gabriella took the back exit in case the paparazzi were still there, which of course was true.

One of the security guys held the door open for her, "Thanks." Gabriella thanked the man with a soft smile on her lips. The brunette lifted her red Valentino dress as she walked down the stairs. This exit was definitely not as glamorous as the front entrance was. But it didn't have the paparazzi. She walked on the asphalt of the New Yorker street.

"Gabriella!" she heard his voice crying behind her.

The brunette stopped walking. She couldn't escape him. Not mentally and not physically. She sighed, there really was no escape from Troy Bolton. Gabriella turned around and saw the man walking towards her. "Hi." she greeted him.

"You're already leaving and I didn't even get a chance to talk to you." he answered as he slowly reached her.

"You got a chance to see me. That should be enough for your ego. Now if you'll excuse me; I have to go. I don't feel so well." the brunette said and turned around to walk away.

"Wait!" he said and grabbed her arm.

"What?" she asked him annoyed.

_I love you_, he thought. But instead of forming the right words in his mouth, he said, "Nothing."

She nodded, "It was nice to see you, Troy." she said with a soft smile on her lips.

He loved that smile. "It was nice seeing you as well."

She got lost in his eyes. In his crystal blue eyes. His beautiful, beautiful eyes...

Gabriella shook her head; snap out of it, Gabriella. "Well then, goodbye."

"Goodbye." he whispered as he watched her walk away. As he watched the woman he loved walking away. And yeah, he was sure that he loved her. He had been trying to figure out his feelings towards her ever since the night at Area. And now, it was suddenly all clear. Like it had been if he had only seen it. Seen that he was head over heels in love with her.

Gabriella quickly took a cab and told the driver to get her back to the hotel. She leaned her head against the glass window of the cab and let her thoughts wander: He looked hot. That suit looked amazing on him. He looked all James Bond 007. He looked happy as well. Happy with all these women around him. Of course he was happy with women around him. That's who he is. That's how he is always going to be. He was a womanizer.

But what the hell was that? Why had he called her? Why was he looking at her like that?

Gabriella paid the driver and walked into her hotel. She walked into the elevator and stared at her reflection on the closed elevator windows. He was doing it again. He was messing with her freaking head again. This wasn't good. None of it was.

She got out of the elevator and walked to her hotel room. She opened the door with her key. She brushed through her dark brown locks and kicked the door to close it. She was not in the mood for anything tonight. She had enough Troy Bolton for one evening. She had enough Troy Bolton for a long time... But soon, she had to work with him again. See him every day. The only problem with it was that she didn't know how to work with him again. Let alone have sex with him. Not with these feelings. Not with him messing with her mind all the time.

Gabriella got out of her Valentino dress and got into her pajamas. She put her hair in a messy bun and walked into the bathroom to wash off her make-up. Once her make-up was off, she brushed her teeth and her hair after that. She braided her dark brown hair in a fishtail braid as she walked to her bedroom. She stopped braided her hair once she saw the tiny little box on her night stand. It was a light blue tiny box with a white bow wrapped around it. It was a box from Tiffany & Co. Whatever was inside of that box, it was worth $1,000 minimum.

Gabriella's mouth fell open as she walked to the box. Who was it from? A note lay next to the box. With a curly handwriting it said: _You might not miss me, but I miss you._

The box was from Troy! She couldn't believe it. He gave her a box from Tiffany & Co. She sat on her bed and grabbed the box from the night stand. Then she slowly opened the white silk bow. After that she opened the box. Two diamond earrings were shining in there.

They were little leaves earrings in 18k white and black gold pavé diamonds - they must been worth a fortune! Gabriella couldn't believe her eyes. He bestowed her the most beautiful earrings she had ever seen. She smiled and grabbed her BlackBerry from the night stand which lay next to the white silk bow. She opened her address book and stopped at the name Troy Bolton. Then she clicked on messaging and wrote: Thnx 4 the earrings. She pressed the send button and looked at the earrings once more. They were wonderful. Perfect. She wouldn't have chosen different ones. No, she definitely wouldn't have chosen other one. Her phone vibrated in her hand and she looked at the display.

"Does that mean u miss me 2?"

Gabriella smiled and rolled her eyes, "I don't miss my boss. Neither do I miss my lover. But I do miss my friend."

Several knocks on the door woke Gabriella Montez in her hotel room. The brunette rolled over in her single bed and rubbed her eyes. Who the hell wants to talk to her _now_?

After several more knocks at the door, the brunette got up and looked at the clock on her night stand. It was four in the morning.

"I'm coming!" Gabriella cried as she heard more knocks. She walked to the door and yawned as she opened the door. "Troy?" she asked him surprised.

"You suck. Do you know that?" he mumbled in a drunk voice.

"Are you drunk?"

"You are _all_ I think of. All!" he said and pointed to his head, "You're right in there. All the time. And you suck."

"Have you been in a fight?" she asked as she took a closer look at her oponent. He had a black eye and two laceration plus several effusions of blood. He looked horrible. All beaten up.

"You have _no_ idea what I've been through!" Troy mumbled again as he staggered into her hotelroom.

"Who told you where I was staying?" she asked him confused as she closed the door. "How much have you drunk?"

"Does that matter?" he asked her back as he looked around.

"No, I guess it doesn't..." she answered him. "You can sleep on the couch since I don't have a double bed." Gabriella said as she walked over to him. "Or you can sleep in the bed." she answered as she saw him already sleeping in her bed.

Seconds later the room was filled with a soft snoring. "Oh come on! _Really_?" she asked and looked up at the sky. "Since when do you _snore_?" she asked the sleeping figure in her bed.

Troy Bolton woke up with a huge hangover. And he was not in his bed. This wasn't his hotelroom. The dryer was on in the bathroom. Did he had a one-night stand again? The man rubbed his eyes before he opened them.

Seconds later, a brunette stormed out of the bathroom. She was already fully dressed, wearing a black pencil skirt, a white blouse and black Louboutins. The brunette turned around and stared at the man who had been sleeping in her bed last night.

"Oh good, you're awake." Gabriella answered. "I hope you had a good night, because I hadn't. Because of a drunk, beat up man, who showed up at my door at four in the morning! On top of that this _man_ snored the whole night!" she said in a loud voice.

"Could you lower your voice a bit?" he asked her as he touched his head.

"Oh you want me to whisper?" she asked him in a whisper tone as she leaned down to him, "Not gonna happen!" she yelled at him. "What the hell were you thinking, huh? Do you even know how _worried_ you got me when I saw your face?"

"Well-"

"I don't want you to answer. I don't need your apologies, Troy." she said and brushed through her dark brown locks as she sighed, "There's an aspirin on the night stand with a glass of water. For your hungover, which is probably huge. I suggest you take it, order breakfast from the room service and take a shower while you wait. After your shower you should examine yourself, because you really look horrible. Decide if you want to go to a hospital after your examination. I recommend to go to the hospital. Next to the aspirin lays your flight ticket. You depart in three hours if nothing goes wrong." Gabriella explained. "I'm gonna head off to work now." she said as she walked to the door.

"Gabriella!" he called her and the brunette turned around. "Thank you."

"Oh you won't be thanking me when you're sitting in that plane. Because this isn't a first class ticket, this is an economy class ticket. Have fun with crying babies next to you." she said before she closed the door behind her.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed it :) Please review! :D<strong>

Xoxo Nic


	13. Something keeps pulling me towards him

**Chapter 13: Something keeps pulling me towards him**

_Two weeks later:_

She spent five and a half weeks in New York until she suddenly got incredibly sick. Gabriella was sneezing and coughing the whole day. To top it off; she was having a fever and she had been throwing up the past four days. The plane ride home had been horrible for her; even though she had been flying first class.

She had started working with Ellie on her record, but because of her health conditions; she had to leave. But she promised to come back when she felt better.

Gabriella had been home for two days now and she was still feeling sick. All factors together meant that she wouldn't be able to go to work today.

She sneezed as she heard the door bell ring. It was nine a.m. and everyone she knew would be working.

"Coming!" the brunette cried as she walked to the door.

The bell rang again and seconds later she opened it. "Sharpay? What are you doing here?"

Her blonde friend walked in, holding two brown paper bags. "Close the door." She said.

"What's wrong?" Gabriella asked her best friend as she hold her front door.

Without a word Sharpay hugged Gabriella. "It's _so_ good to see you after nearly six weeks apart."

"I am sick, I don't want you getting sick as well so stay away." Gabriella ordered.

Sharpay shook her head, "No, I don't think you are sick."

"Can't you see that I am sneezing, coughing _and_ having a fever? I don't know what you call that, but I call it sick."

"I call it a possible pregnancy." Sharpay said and sat down on a chair. "I brought pregnancy tests."

"What? No! No, that's not possible. I got sick because of the weather."

"It wasn't raining in New York and you are not allergic to pollen. And the temperature wasn't going crazy there. So there's only one explanation left."

"Sharpay, I am not pregnant. I can't be pregnant. No! I am not pregnant. I was save. I _always_ had been save."

"Are you late?" she asked her best friend concerned.

"Yes, but that's because of my sickness."

"How late are you?"

"About five weeks maybe...but that could be the stress as well. I've had that before."

"Do your breasts feel sore?"

"What?"

"Do they or don't they, Gabriella?"

"They do. But that-"

"Have you been tired lately?"

"Of course I am tired. Everyone gets tired."

"No I mean abnormally tired. Like all the time tired."

The brunette shrugged, "Maybe. I don't know."

"Headaches. What about headaches?"

"What about them?"

"Don't play dumb with me right now, Miss! Are you having headaches lately?"

"Could be."

"Do you have to pee more often?"

"Oh come on! Next thing you're going to ask me is if I have developed abnormal eating habits! This is ridiculous!"

The blonde woman stared at her best friend. "Honey, when was the last time you had sex?"

"A little more than five weeks ago... Nearly six. The night Area opened."

"And you know that?" she asked her friend amazed.

Gabriella nodded, "The sex was really, _really_ good."

"Did you use protection?"

Gabriella nodded, "Of course. I told you that I am save."

"Good, then it won't harm you if you take the test." Sharpay said and opened the first brown bag. "And if you're pregnant, then... Then we'll see. If you're not, then I have another brown bag with a bottle of tequila for you."

Gabriella smiled at her friend, "But I am not pregnant."

"Take the test to be sure." Sharpay said and handed her the pregnancy test.

Gabriella took a deep breath, before she walked into her bathroom with Sharpay behind her. "Do you know who you had sex with?"

Gabriella nodded, "Yeah. I know who I had sex with that night..." she trailed off.

"Was it some stranger?"

Gabriella shook her head, "No. I knew this man. But I got to know him better during the evening."

"Do you still know his name?"

The brunette nodded again as she started to pee on the small stick, "It was my boss, Troy Bolton. And his best friend, Jason something."

Sharpay's mouth fell open. "You hooked up with best friends? One of them being your boss? Wait, was it a three some?"

"Look, I didn't know that they were best friends. And no, I am not the type for three-somes."

"Okay...but your boss?"

"I slept with him before my first day at work. Then I saw him again and something keeps pulling me towards him. So we hooked up. And again... And again... And many many times again. We agreed to let no feelings get in between. We agreed to keep this between us as well."

"And then you hooked up with his best friend."

"Well everyone said that he was great in bed and I wanted to see myself. So..."

"And?" Sharpay asked her best friend curiously.

"He's not that good." Gabriella said and washed her hands. "He couldn't even give me an oragsm! I had to fake it."

"Oh, I'm sorry hon. Bad sex is always terrible."

"Yeah and then I found out that the best friends are neighbors."

"Oh no..."

"Oh yes. I met Troy and we talked in his apartment, drinking red wine. And somewhere between my third or fourth glas I almost confessed that I may have fallen in love with him."

"Hold on there, Gabs. _You_ fell in love?"

Gabriella shrugged and felt the tears forming in her eyes, "I fell in love with a man who isn't capable of having a serious relationship. With a man who is just like me." she said and placed the stick on her sink.

"Did you tell him?"

"_How?_ He sent me to New York the next day." Gabriella said and sat down on the floor with her back pressed against the wall.

Sharpay sat next to her. "Did New York clear your head?"

"No..." Gabriella said, shaking her head, "It confused me even more. I tried to focus on work but my mind was on him. I missed him _so_ badly. I missed him more than anyone else. And that's not only because of the great sex, which is really really great. But because of this chemistry we have. I feel like he understands me and I understand him." Gabriella said with the tears rolling down her cheeks. "For Christ's sake why did it have to happen to me?"

"Awww!" Sharpay said and hugged her best friend, "You are in love with him."

Gabriella wiped away the tears and laughed, "And now I can't even go to work to see him." she said laughing, "He probably is already fucking another woman. He had a replacement when he sent me to New York. A replacement!" Gabriella cried.

Sharpay smiled, "You are in love with him. Gabriella Montez has finally fallen in love!"

"Shar, that's not funny."

"Oh I know it's not. But love is great. You should talk to him."

"How can I talk to him? I don't want him to get sick. And I don't want to catch him fucking my replacement in his office."

"Well did you already talk to him today?"

The brunette shook her head, "No. I called Ashley and told her that I wouldn't be in. He didn't text or called."

"Maybe he will. Maybe you just have to wait."

"Or maybe I just have to walk into his office and make a fool out of myself by telling him how I feel, hoping that he returns my feelings." she said and felt the tears rolling down her cheeks again, "Shar, what am I suppose to do?"

The woman brushed through her blonde waves, "How about we take a look at that stick? I think the five minutes is already over."

Gabriella shook her head and grabbed her best friend's hand, "I can't look. And you shouldn't either. If I am pregnant, then I have a _huge_ problem."

"Why? Because you don't know who the father might be?"

"No. It could only be Troy's. But I can't be pregnant, Shar. I am his fucking assistant! I have a dream to follow. If I am pregnant, I'm gonna have an abortion."

"Well you're gonna have to tell him before the abortion and figure things out."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do. He might be a father and he needs to know. He has the right to."

Gabriella sighed, "I can't be preggers, Shar. Not me. Not now."

"But you want to have kids, right?"

Gabriella shrugged, "Perhaps in the future."

"Well maybe the future is now. Come on, get up." Sharpay said and helped her best friend to get up. She had never seen Gabriella so messed up. Gabi had always been the stronger one of them. She had always been the boy magnet. She had always been one to have fun with. But she wasn't one to have a relationship with.

"Are you ready to look?" Sharpay asked her best friend.

Gabriella took a deep breath, "Yes. Let's take a look."

Sharpay got out the instruction, "Okay if there are..."

"I have two lines. Two pink lines. Two thin pink lines. What does that mean?" Gabriella asked her. Pink lines. Two clear pink lines. Two lines. There were two lines. Clearly, there were two lines... Two lines.

Sharpay looked at her friend with amazement, "You are pregnant, Gabs."

"No. Maybe I miss looked." Gabriella said, "You take a look." she said and handed her best friend the test.

"No, there are clearly two pink lines. Gabriella, you are pregnant. You can't get more pregnant." Sharpay said shocked.

Gabriella was silent, nodding. "Okay... Okay... I think you need the bottle of tequila now."

"I think so as well." Sharpay said and they both walked back into Gabriella's kitchen. Sharpay filled up a glass and drank it out like it was water, "What are you going to do now?"

"Go to my gynecologist. Maybe the test was wrong."

"It said the chance that this test is right is 95%. You are preggers, Gabs."

"Then I might be pregnant. I still have to see my gynecologist. Either way." Gabriella said and sneezed.

Sharpay handed her best friend the phone, "Good. Then call her."

Gabriella sighed and started to dial the gynecologist's number.

"Dr. Montgomery's office, how can I help you?"

"Hi, this is Gabriella Montez. I had a positive pregnancy test."

"Congratulations! And now you want an appointment?"

"Uhm, yeah."

"Alright let me take a look at the calendar... Oh good, we have one at 12 a.m. Tomorrow."

"Thanks."

"Have a good day, Miss Montez."

"You, too." Gabriella said and hung up.

"And?"

"She said congratulations. _Seriously_?" Gabriella said and felt her stomach turning over. She ran into her bathroom to throw up.

"Oh yeah... Pregnancy's calling." Sharpay said and heard Gabriella's cellphone ringing. "Your phone's ringing!"

"I am kinda busy here!" Gabriella cried back and she threw up once more.

Sharpay looked at the display. It was the man who knocked her up. The blonde woman smiled. Perfect timing. Sharpay picked the ringing phone up and walked into the bathroom, in which Gabriella finished washing her face.

"Still ringing." Sharpay said as Gabriella took it from her.

"Hello?" Gabriella asked the unknown caller.

"Is there a chance you can come to my office? I have to talk to you." he said.

She missed his voice. She coughed, "No offense, but there's a reason why I called and said I was sick. I won't be able to work." she said.

"You don't have to work for me. Not today. I just want to talk."

Gabriella rolled her eyes, "I'll be there." she said and hung up.

"You're going to work?"

"No, I am going to _talk_ to him." Gabriella said and looked at her reflection, "Gosh, I look terrible."

"No you don't. You look pregnant. You are glowing." Sharpay teased her best friend.

"Get to work and annoy someone else. I need to get ready."

"On my day off, I chose to come to you. You suck at being a friend."

"I love you, too." Gabriella said as she walked into her closet.

"Call me when you talk to him." Sharpay said as she left the apartment.

* * *

><p><strong>The next chapter :). Please review.<strong>

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	14. I can't be professional anymore

**Chapter 14: I can't be professional anymore**

Troy Bolton was sitting in his office, trying to concentrate on work. But each time he tried, his thoughts wandered over to Gabriella. She was on his mind 24/7 since she left for New York. Today should be the day she got back, but she was sick. He wanted to see her _so_ badly. He wanted to hear her voice. To feel her touch. He didn't even spend a thought on sleeping with another woman in those six weeks.

Over the nearly six weeks without her his feelings towards her became clear. She was on his mind at all times, he missed her, missed her voice, missed her laugh, her touch, he missed everything about her... He was in love with this woman. He fell in love with his one night stand. He fell in love with his assistant. He fell in love with the most wonderful woman he had ever met.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, "Come in!" he cried.

Amber, Gabriella's replacement, walked in, "Is there anything more I can do for you?"

"Yes. You can get me two coffees actually." Troy ordered, "Thanks."

"No problem." Amber said and walked out.

Amber did a good job, but not as good as Gabriella of course. No one could top Gabriella.

Gabriella walked out of the elevator and felt all eyes on her as she made her way to Troy Bolton's office. She was wearing a warm khaki jacket, dark blue jeans and her brown Chloé boots. "I thought she was sick." Gabriella heard the whispers saying.

"Gabriella, what are you doing here?" Ashley asked her.

"Mr. Bolton called me. He said something about an emergency."

"But we have Amber for all emergencies." Ashley said.

Gabriella shrugged, "He asked for me to come. He wanted to talk to be about something. So here I am." Gabriella said and coughed.

"You're clearly still sick. How was New York?"

"It was nice. I hope to come back to work tomorrow." Gabriella said and smiled politely, "Okay I should get going then."

A stranger passed Gabriella in the hallway. She was a young brunette, carrying folders, looking stressed. _That's probably my replacement,_ the brunette thought.

The petite brunette knocked on the office door of her boss and her unborn child's father.

"Come in!" Troy cried, brushing through his hair. He would tell her how he felt. He had to. It was the only way to make things work or not work between them.

Gabriella opened the door and walked in, "You asked for me." she said and coughed again.

"Boy you look horrible."

"Thanks, I missed you as well." Gabriella said casually, but truthfully and rolled her eyes.

Troy got up, "That's not how I meant it. I just meant..."

"That I look sick? Yeah, I know that as well." Gabriella said and sat down. "So, what did you want to talk to me?"

"One second." Troy said and picked up the phone, "No calls for about one hour, okay?"

"You want to sit and talk to me for one hour? A little much, don't you think?" Gabriella asked him confused.

Troy smiled as he eyeballed her. Yes, she did look pale and sick... But yet she was the most beautiful woman he had met.

He would fire her. He _so _would fire her. That's why he called her in!

"Just tell me if you want to fire me or not." Gabriella said and stroke through her dark brown locks.

"What makes you think that I want to fire you?"

"Why would you possibily call me if not for that?"

"Did you like New York?" he asked her instead. Damn, he didn't have a the courage to tell her.

"Are you really trying to change the subject?" she asked him confused. What the hell was he up to?

"No. I am asking you about your time in New York. So did you?"

"Did I what?"

"Like it."

Gabriella sneezed, "Yes. Very much. I learned a lot and I am now ready to work here again."

"When you are doing better."

Gabi laughed, "Yeah, that might take some time."

There was another knock on the door and the same stranger Gabi met before, walked in with two cups of coffee. The brown haired woman placed them on Troy Bolton's desk and left without a word.

"My replacement?" Gabriella asked him.

"Yes." Troy answered.

"Thought so..."

"Gabriella..." Troy started but couldn't find any words.

Silence overcame the two humans. Minutes passed without any words being exchanged. Both just stared at each other.

"Fine, if you don't want to talk then I can leave again!" the brunette said angrily and got up.

Troy watched her walking to the door. Unable to say anything. Unable to let the words he needed to say so badly come out of his month. He was paralized.

"Gabriella!"

"No! Don't you dare Gabriella me right now! You don't get to do this. Not again. Not to me." Gabriella said and stormed out of his office.

Ashley Bolton watched Gabriella storm out of his office. The brunette was faster than a tornado. She left the building in seconds.

With confusion on her face, Ashley walked into the direction of her brother's office. This was weird. Beyond weird. Did he fire her?

Without knocking, she walked in. "Why the hell is Gabriella Montez storming out of your office?"

"Mind your own fucking business, will you?" Troy snapped at her.

"What the hell is going on?" she asked him, angry but concerned.

"Nothing. Everything's fine." the man behind the desk said and ran with his fingers through his hair.

"Troy..." the blonde Goddess said and walked over to him.

"No. Don't you dare Troy me right now. I am not in the fucking mood to share my fucking feelings with you right now! I told you to mind your own business. This is personal."

"Since when is Gabriella Montez personal?"

"Since she... She's not personal. I meant professional."

"Mhm, right. Professional."

"Ashley, just leave me the fuck alone."

"Are you..." the blonde stopped talking, knowing that her words didn't even reach her brother. He was in his own world. In his own troubled world.

"I will talk to you as soon as I figured things out." he ensured her.

The green eyed woman nodded and walked out of his office.

She closed the door behind herself and took a deep breath, "Whatever this just was between them, wasn't anything good."

Gabriella sat on the dark red comfy couch in her apartment, with ice cream on her tighs, watching an episode of Grey's Anatomy. Only she wasn't really watching. Gabriella was lost in her thoughts. Lost trying to think of a way to tell him that she was pregnant. As in pregnant with his child.

Gosh, she was really pregnant. Gabriella couldn't believe it! She was carrying human life inside of her!

The ringing phone ripped Gabriella out of her thoughts. She got up and walked over to the ringing phone before she picked up. "Hi, Sharp."

"Did you talk to him?"

"Well not really. I thought he wanted to fire me."

"Did he?"

"No. Luckily no. Or maybe not luckily. I don't know. I guess things would be easier if he fired me."

"Did you tell him about your pregnancy?"

"No. I was too afraid to. I am a coward." Gabriella said and laughed, "Gabriella the coward. Gosh, Sharp what's wrong with me?"

"Nothing." her friend ensured her, "You're just a little confused. It's normal."

"No it's not normal. Not for me."

"When do you plan to tell him?"

The brunette shrugged and sat down on a chair in her kitchen, "I don't know. I really don't. Maybe I just keep it to myself."

"Until when? Until you have a huge bump?"

"Well maybe until I have a date for the abortion."

"Are you seriously thinking about that?"

Gabriella shrugged again, "I don't know. I mean, on the one side I am not ready to be a mother. I mean, children don't even like me!"

"And on the other side?"

"Maybe I should have a child. Maybe that's what's meant to be. Maybe that's my future. A single mother."

"You should tell him. Then you can be single parents together." Sharpay joked.

"Not funny. I won't tell him."

"Well, perhaps-" a doorbell interrupted Sharpay, "Was that your doorbell?"

"Yes." Gabriella said a little confused and walked to her front door. Who was that?

"Who the hell wants to talk to you _now_?" Sharpay asked her.

Gabriella shrugged, "How am I suppose to know? Probably someone who is having their break right now." Gabriella said and opened the door.

He was standing in front of her. In a simple black shirt and dark blue trousers. He was standing in front of her. In front of her appartment. What was he doing here?

"I... I have to call you back." Gabriella said into the phone and hung up. "What are you doing here?" she asked him confused.

"Can I come in?" he asked her instead.

"As what are you here?" she asked him before she decided whether to open the door or not.

"Not as your boss." he answered.

She held the door open for him. "Come in, then."

He nodded and walked passed her. Something was wrong. Something was different. Something changed. She just wasn't sure what it was yet. Suddenly there was this weird atmosphere. This weird tension between them.

"Why are you here?" she asked him as she closed the door again.

He stood in the middle of her living room and turned around, "Because I want to talk to you."

"We've talked. You called me in earlier and we talked."

"No, that's not what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Then _what_ do you want to talk about?" she asked him as she filled two glasses with water.

He couldn't say it. He couldn't bring out the words. Couldn't say the words he needed to.

Gabriella looked at the man in front of her. He didn't want to talk. _Why_ didn't he want to talk?

"Okay, if you can't start then I will. You can deny it or not, but we have a chemistry. Something _exists_ between us. And I am not only talking professionally here." Gabriella said and felt the stomach turning around again. But she controlled it. She wasn't going to throw up. Not in front of him.

"What did you do in New York?" he changed the subject.

Gabriella brushed through her dark brown locks and decided to ignore his question, "I can't be professional with you anymore. Not in your office. Not here." she said and shrugged, "I simply can't."

He stared into her chocolate brown eyes and nodded, "Then don't be."

Gabriella sighed and got up. For a second Troy thought that she would leave. Leave him and his unexpressed feelings. But instead she walked around the table and sat on white chair next to him.

"I..." Gabriella stopped as she felt her stomach turning around once more. This time she couldn't control it. She grabbed the trash bin and puked into it.

"Sorry," she apologized, "But it's been going on the last week..." Gabriella said, sneezing again.

He handed her a glass of water and she took it greatfully before she drank it. "Thanks."

Troy got lost in the brunette's eyes. He missed her voice. He missed her perfect lips, her smile... He missed her. He couldn't ignore his feelings anymore. So, he got off of his chair.

"What are you doing?" Gabriella asked her boss confused.

He pulled her face in his hands and kissed her. He didn't care that she just threw up. He didn't care that she was sick. All he cared was that she was here. That she was with him.

Gabriella let go, "Why did you..."

"I have fallen in love with you, Gabriella. Deeply and head over heels in love. The worst way you could fall in love with. I tried to ignore it. I tried to earase those feelings, but I can't. I am in love with you. And I wanna try to have a relationship. I know I am not the best at relationships, considering my last flings, but I-"

"I am pregnant." Gabriella interrupted him and bit on her lip.

His mouth felt open. Did he just heard her right? Did she say that she was pregnant? As in pregnant, pregnant? No, he must have misheard her. "What?" he asked her shocked and sat down again.

"I did a pregnancy test ealier and it was positive. I've been throwing up the past week about four to seven times a day. My period's about six weeks late and I am very hormonal lately. I am pregnant."

"But... We were safe." Troy felt the floor losing under his feet. This caught him by surprise. He expected everything as an answer but not this.

"Not always."

"I... You said...When... But..." he couldn't bring out words which could describe his feelings. He didn't even know what he was feeling. His feelings were a mixture of everything... A mess.

"The night at Area. I drank alcohol, not a lot but it must've been enough. We didn't use a condom. My pill was effectless. And then there was the time before we both started work. The night at Joe's bar. And then... Truth to be told, we had more than once unprotective sex."

Troy Bolton was silent. He knocked someone up. He had never knocked someone up! He had _always_ been the careful one. He had always used a condom. Until he met Gabriella.

This silence was killing her. It was killing her to see her boss so helpless and confussed. He would fire her now. Perhaps even get up and leave without a word. She was prepared for it. Prepared for the unknown.

His ringing mobile interrupted the silence between the two.

"Yes?" he asked the unknown caller and turned away, so he didn't have to face Gabriella. "Of course. I'll be there." he said as he hung up.

He turned around and stared at her with sorrow in his crystal blue eyes. "I..."

"You have to go. Of course. Go. Who am I to keep you here." Gabriella said and pointed at the door. "You can let yourself out."

He was silent as he got up and walked to the front door. He opened the door and turned around in the doorframe. "We, uhm... You should... We should talk. Later."

Gabriella nodded, "I'll be by your office in a couple of hours."

Without any more words Troy Bolton left Gabriella Montez`s apartment.

Only two hours later Gabriella Montez found herself sitting in the familiar office again. He wasn't here yet. He texted her to go to his office and wait, since there weren't a lot of employees around it was safe to talk about _this_ at his office. Nearly every employee was taking a break. Taking a break from work.

The door opened and the brunette's head turned around.

"Hi." she greeted him simply.

"Have you been waiting for a long time?"

She shook her head, "No just got here. The traffic was horrible."

He nodded.

"So, uhm... Did you... You know think about..." Gabriella couldn't find the right words. She couldn't let her mouth form the right words for the kind of question she wanted to ask him. She didn't even know what kind of question. She only knew that she wanted him to talk. To talk to her.

He walked over to her and sat next to her. He was silent and just stared at her. That was the mother of his unborn child. The mother of _their_ unborn child. That was the one he loved. Who was pregnant. Knocked up by him. His mind had been wandering up and down while he sat in that meeting. He didn't listen to what the others said. No, his mind was thinking about her. About her and their unborn child. About... So much but work.

Then he looked away.

"Troy... Say something. Please." Gabriella begged him.

The icy blue eyed man looked up at her, "You called me Troy."

"Yeah, well I guess this situation requires a personal treatment." the petit brunette said and brushed through her dark brown locks.

"I still have your earring." Troy said feeling in a daze, starring at the monitor in front of him.

"What?"

"You've lost your earring that night." he said and looked at her again. "It's a nice earring. I think you should have it back." Was he seriously talking about a lost earring right now?

"What?"

"I'll bring it by later this day. Or tomorrow. Probably tomorrow. At around twelve."

"I won't be home."

"Why?"

"I have an appointment tomorrow at my gynecologist. At twelve."

"Oh." the blue eyed man said, still shocked by this whole _thing_. "You want me to go with you?"

The brunette shrugged, "I don't care. If you want to, you can. If you don't, then don't. I won't be forcing you to go. It's your decision."

"Okay..." the man said in a daze. "Are you... Keeping it?"

Truth to be told, she didn't knew. "I don't know."

"Okay..." he said, nodding this time.

"Could you stop that?" the brunette asked him in an angry voice.

"Stop what?"

"Could you finally talk to me about our freaking mistake?" she nearly yelled at him.

"You should stop yelling."

"Or what?" the brunette yelled. "You're gonna fire me? Fine, do it."

"What the hell do you want from me, huh?" he yelled back.

Ashley Bolton was walking down the halls of Wilson's records. The blonde Goddess with the piercy green eyes walked pass the information desk and straight down the corridor in front of her. She loved her work. She loved where she worked. She only didn't really like who she worked for. I mean, working for your brother does seem weird at most of the times, but you get used to it - at least that's what she kept on telling herself since three years now. With a light blue cup filled with delicious coffee the brunette walked passed all the white office doors. Ashley stopped in the hallway as she heard loud voices coming from Troy's office. She turned to her right, to see Amber sitting at her iMac, typing like crazy.

"Hey poppet, " she called the intern, "you know why there's yelling in that office?"

The brunette shrugged, "Not really. It's been going on for a while now."

"Who's in there?"

"The woman I saw you talking to earlier. Khaki coat, dark blue jeans... Brown boots."

"Gabriella?"

"Wait, his _assistant_? _That_ is Gabriella? No wonder everyone misses her. She looks like a supermodel!"

Ashley glanced at her.

"Sorry." she said and apologized. "But it's true."

"Yeah, I know what you mean... She arrests attention, for sure."

"Well now I know why he hasn't fired her. Although, they do seem to fight a lot..."

"What'cha hear, poppet?"

"Not much. Those doors make sure the words don't come out. Only noise."

"So I shouldn't go in there."

"Probably not." Amber agreed and both women smiled.

"I want you to take a stand for or against this pregnancy. Because I can't seem to decide, whether or not I want to continue this pregnancy." Gabriella said in one breath.

"You want an _abortion_?" Troy asked her shocked.

"I don't know what I want!" she yelled, "All I know is that I don't want to give everything up." she said and felt the tears forming in her eyes. Damn hormones.

Troy saw her crying from the cornor of his eye and automatically put his hand over hers. Gabriella felt her heart beating faster as she felt his warm soft hand over her cold one.

"I want you to keep it." he said finally, and looked her in the eyes. "I want you to continue this pregnancy."

"But what about my dreams? I am twenty-two years old, Troy. I am not ready to be a mother. I wanted to have a career. And frankly, I'd probably be a horrible mother."

"And you will have a career. I promise you, you will. I will make sure your dreams come true, Gabs." he said and her heart skiped a beat when she heard her nickname. "We will make this work. I will make sure you won't be a horrible mother." he said and smiled.

"Promise?" Gabriella asked him.

"I promise." he said and kissed her hands.

Gabriella smiled, "We're going to be parents."

Troy returned her smile and placed his lips and hers.

Gabriella pulled away, "I could still get you sick." she explained her refusal.

"Like I care." Troy whispered against her lips as he kissed her again. This time she returned his kiss and stroke through his dark blonde hair.

"I love you." Troy said into her chocolate brown eyes.

The petite Spanish beauty smiled, "And I love you, too." she said before she crashed her lips against his again.

Hours later Troy was alone in his office again. The man didn't expect this day to be so surprising, he didn't expect it to be so... Life changing. Troy was finishing off his work for the day in the late evening of Los Angeles. A knock on his door kept him from shutting off his iMac and going home.

Seconds later the door opened. His step-sister entered his office, "You're still here."

"Just like you." he said and shut off his iMac, "What'cha want?"

"Did you fire her?" the blonde woman asked her brother.

Confusion made it's way to his face, "Who?"

"Gabriella. Did you fire her?" she said as she handed him his coat.

"No. Why should I?"

"I don't know. I just heard you guys fighting earlier and I figured you'd probably fire her. Like you did with the past assistants." Ashley explained, "But Gabriella's different."

He nodded, "You tell me."

"Don't fire her. She's a good assistant. I mean, I probably shouldn't tell you this but..."

"But what, Ash?"

"But she managed all of your appointments and made sure everything ran smoothly while she was in New York. That Amber girl she... Well, she actually only did the coffee runs."

"What?" he asked her shocked.

"That woman is amazing. You'd be nuts if you fire her." Ashley said as they made their way out of Troy's office.

"Don't worry, she will be around here for a _long_ time..." the dark blonde man said as he closed his office door.

"You like her don't you?"

"She's my assistant, Ashley."

"That's not the point, Troy. You like her. Admit it."

"She works for me."

"And you like her."

"She's two years younger than me. Probably immature."

"And you _like_ her." Ashley answered with a grin on her lips as they both entered the elevator.

"I don't like her, Ashley. She's a good assistant and a good looking woman, which does no harm in this job. But she is my assistant and we both know that I don't mix my personal life with my professional life. We all know how that ended last time."

"But Gabriella isn't Sydney."

"I am not comparing two different women with you right now."

"No, but I am. They are completely different. Besides, you're still friends with Syd..."

He shrugged, "Kind of, for sure. I mean, it didn't work out between the two of us."

"Did you love her?" she asked him, unsure if he would answer this question faithfully.

He thought for a couple of seconds. "...I thought I did. But I guess I was wrong."

"What'cha mean by that?" she asked him concerned.

"Nothing." he said shaking his head, "Absolutely nothing."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded. "We cheated on each other anyways..."

"Don't pretend that you _wanted_ it to work out. We both know that you're a player."

"Where's the problems with being a player?"

"You're only playing because you're afraid to get your heart broken, Troy. But sooner or later you're gonna fall in love with a woman so badly, that you gonna _have to_ put your heart out there. You will have to take the risk."

He nodded, "I know." the man agreed as he walked out of the elevator. Too bad she didn't knew that he already decided to take that risk.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you liked this chapter. Please review to tell me your opinions.<strong>

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	15. I don't know who I am anymore

**Chapter 15: I don't know who I am anymore**

Troy Bolton got out of his Range Rover Sport and ran to the elevator to catch the already closing doors. He pushed the fifth button and let his mind wander as he waited...

_She's pregnant. The woman you love - well most probably love- the woman you decided to let in, is pregnant. Pregnant with your child. Well, most probably your child. No it is your child. Definitely your's. And you're gonna be a father. In less than nine months you will have a baby. _

_A baby who will change my life forever. And Gabriella's. How am I suppose to deal with everything? Maybe she should have an abortion. Maybe she should... No! This is your child. You are the father. You love her. And you love that job you have... And you will love this child. Your child. You can manage this. You will manage it together with Gabriella. _

_We will make it work. We will find a way to make it work. Somehow._

Troy looked up as the elevator doors opened again.

His crystal blue eyes saw-" Gabriella?" he asked her confused.

The brunette turned around. She had been crying. Crying for hours probably. Her eyes were swollen and red. Her cheeks were red as well. "Where the fuck have you been?" she said in a loud voice. "Do you know how long I have been waiting for you? How long I have walked back and forth? How long I have..." she stopped as she felt tears running down her face again.

"What's wrong?" he asked her worried. "Is everything alright?"

"Obviously not!" she said and wiped away the tears. "I am a hormonal wreck right now and I don't know how to control those freaking hormones! I have been crying for hours and I don't know how to stop-" she stoped as she felt his arms wrapped around her body. "I'm only gonna start crying harder right now, I hope you know that." Gabriella said and laughed. "Because what you do to me is freaking scary and amazing at the same time."

Troy looked at the brunette in front of him and wiped away her tears, "How about you come in and we drink a cup of tea?" he asked as he unlocked the front door of his apartment.

She nodded and without any more words she walked into his apartment. Gosh, she totally forgot how amazing his apartment was. How _huge_ it was and how amazing the view from his apartment was. She looked around herself. In front of her was his open living room with a fireplace. A comfortable couch and a television, which he probably hardly ever used filled this area. Next to the fireplace were the stairs which led to the second floor. On her right side was the dinning area with a big table and a _really_ nice view over Los Angeles. On her left was the stylish white kitchen, which would make every housewive's heart beat faster.

The Spanish brunette got out of her boots and took of her coat before she sat on a chair next to the island in the kitchen. "I'm sorry for appearing out of the blue." she apologized.

"Don't apologize to me. I rather hear what made you crying for... I'm guessing for one hour now."

"Two hours, but nice try." she said and smiled. "Well, after I left your apartment I walked to my car, which was parked next to yours. On my way I saw a family consisting of two children, one mother and one father. Obviously the father was the one who was working since he wore a suite and was coming out of the building. Both children smiled and ran to their father. They were a boy and a girl by the way. The mother smiled and stood next to their car, a Range Rover, just like yours. And then it hit me..." Gabriella explained.

"What hit you?" Troy asked her as he filled up two cups with hot black tea.

"We're never gonna be one of those families. No matter what. We're never gonna be..."

"Never gonna be what?" he asked her, although he felt what she wanted to say.

"It doesn't matter." she said shaking her head.

"No it _does_ matter. It matters to me, Gabriella."

"We're never gonna be that happy. We're never gonna be a family. Not a family as-"

"Don't start to compare our situation with the family you saw earlier. That's nonsense."

"No it's not."

"Yes it is, Gabriella. You don't know what the future holds for us."

"I know that it holds a baby for us. For who we aren't ready for."

"So what are you suggesting, huh?"

"I don't think we can make it, Troy. I doubt that we could make this work. We're not ready. I mean, we both aren't really capable to have a serious relationship. And I don't want my child to have a life like..."

"Like us? Are you really saying-"

"I don't know! Look, all I want for this child to be is happy. And I really doubt that we are able to give this child what it needs."

"Stop talking so much bullshit, Gabriella! I get that you are unsure about this child, but I am not giving it up. There's no way you will have an abortion or that we will give it away for adoption! No way, you hear me?" he said in a loud voice, "This is my child. _I_ am the father and I get a say in this as well."

Gabriella was surprised by Troy's words. Surprised by the effort. "I am not excluding you from the decision." she said in a low voice and looked into his crystal blue eyes, "I am just..."

"You're what?"

"I don't freaking know how I feel! I am confused and messed up. I cry every second and I yell about ridiculous things! I am a hormonal bomb and this scares me, Troy. All of this." she said and felt the tears streaming down her cheeks. "I am freaking scared and I wished I could talk to anyone to make me feel at least something. But I can't. Because nobody can make me feel better." the brunette said, breaking down once more. "I'm not used to crying and yelling that dramaticly at somebody. I mean, I know that I have a temper but that's... I am not myself. I don't know who I am anymore, Troy."

The dark blonde man walked over to Gabriella and pulled her into a big hug. "You wanna know who you are?" he asked her and looked into her chocolate brown eyes, "You are the woman I love. You are the woman who is carrying our baby. And it's okay for you to freak out at times, because you are pregnant. It's okay for you to cry and yell at me. For God's sake you could do anything you felt like doing to me. Because I know that no matter what you do, you still love me. Just like I do." he explained as he wiped away her tears, "And if you ever question yourself who you are again, then just look at me and you will know. You just say a word and I tell you who you are. Because I know who you are. Okay?"

Gabriella nodded, "Okay." she said before she kissed him. He returned her kiss and brushed through her dark brown locks.

"I should clean myself up." Gabriella said after she let go off of his lips. "I probably look a mess right now." she explained and got up to walk to his bathroom.

"Gabriella." Troy said as he watched the brunette walking to the bathroom.

The brunette turned around.

"Are you okay?" he asked her worried.

She nodded and smiled, "Yes. The two of us are fine now."

* * *

><p><strong>New chapter :). Please review.<br>Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	16. Get out of your dreamland and come back

**Chapter 16: Get out of your dreamland and come back to reality**

The next morning Gabriella woke up next to the father of their unborn child. After long later night talking she decided to stay over night. After all the stupid rules for the stupid sexual relationship were all broken anyway. And she liked her decision. She _really_ wanted to stay and just talk. So that's what they both did. They got to know each other and talked the whole day. At about 12 p.m. They heard moans from the apartment next to them and they both laughed. Jason was clearly still having fun.

_Flashback_

_Both giggled, "Seems like Jason's still having fun with other women..." Troy said._

_"Yeah we both know that he wasn't my kind of guy. You are my kind of guy." Gabriella said, giggeling._

_"Troy...?" Gabriella asked him, lieing on his chest and drawing circles on his chest. They were lieing in his living room, in front of the fireplace, enjoying each other's company._

_"Yeah?" the man asked her, playing with one of her dark brown locks._

_"Can we keep it a secret until I am showing?" she asked him._

_"Sure, but only if you promise to not cut your hair."_

_She laughed, "I am serious."_

_"So am I. You locks are sexy. Never ever cut them. Well, not in the next couple of months."_

_She smiled and looked at him, "I promise." she giggled._

_He smiled. He loved his voice. "What are you going to do with... I mean... Will we both have nurseries in our apartments?"_

_"Is this your way of asking me to move in with you?" Gabriella asked him confused._

_"No... Yes... No. I mean, my apartment is bigger than yours."_

_She lifted herself, "I am not ready to move in with you. I think it would be a disaster, frankly."_

_"Maybe it won't. We never know if we don't try."_

_"Alright, I tell you what." she said, "We try it. I can get some of my stuff to your apartment and we can try it for one week. If we're not sick of each other we'll extend it for another week."_

_"For how long do you want to try?" he asked her and fondled her cheek. Gosh, was she beautiful._

_"For as long as it takes until I am comfortable with you around."_

_"Aren't you comfortable now?"_

_"It's something else when you are living under one rooftop with this person. I may not be able to manage your bad habits. But I am ready to see them and I am ready to show you mine, so that's a start." Gabriella said and kissed him._

_He returned her kiss, but felt her lips pulling apart sooner than he wanted._

_Gabriella's stomach turned around once more and she ran into the bathroom. Seconds later the sound of someone puking filled with apartment, along with the moaning of the other apartment._

_End of Flashback_

Gabriella got up and streched herself as she looked out of the window in the master bedroom. Troy had the most amazing view of probably whole Los Angeles. The brunette stared out of the window, amazed by the whole situation. It was the first time she didn't have to rush out of his apartment. The first time she could enjoy a morning with the man she loved. Suddenly she heard a rustle.

"Why are you staring out of the window?" Troy asked the brunette as he eyeballed her backside. She was only wearing her underwear. And she looked incredibly hot in it.

"I am enjoying Los Angeles by the early morning." Gabriella explained and felt male hands on her hips seconds later.

Troy placed his chin on her shoulder as Gabriella leaned against her strong man. "It's the first time I don't have to rush out of your aparment." she said with closed eyes as she inhalted his sent.

"Mhm..." he agreed and kissed her shoulder.

"I want many more wake ups like that one." Gabriella confessed and turned around to hug him. He was still warm from the bed.

"You can have as many wake ups as you want." Troy said and kissed the brunette.

Gabriella felt her stomach turning around again, "Oh not again..." she mumbled and walked into the bathroom.

Troy smiled as he watched her leave. He enjoyed having her at his apartment. He enjoyed having to get to know the woman of his unborn child. He enjoyed getting to know the woman he fell so badly in love with. Getting to know her the way her boyfriend should.

He got into his robe and decided to walk to the kitchen to make breakfast for the two of them. Well, three of them.

"Mhm, this smell good." Gabriella said, dressed in one of Troy's shirts, as she walked into the kitchen. "So you do use the kitchen."

Troy smiled, "When's your appointment today?"

"At twelve o'clock." Gabriella answered and ate some strawberries, but stopped. "Am I even allowed to eat them?"

Troy shrugged, "How am I suppose to know? I am not pregnant."

"Well I think I am not. No caffeine, no fish and no berries." Gabriella said and saw the pancakes, "But I can definitely eat those pancakes." she said smiling.

Troy eyeballed her and smiled.

"What?" Gabriella asked him.

"You look cute in my old Yale shirt." he said grinning.

"Oh..." she said and continued eating. "Don't you have to get to work?"

Troy shook his head, "Not today. I took the day off."

"Just to get with me to my doctor's appointment?" she asked him and felt tears forming in her eyes.

"Why are you crying?" he asked her and placed his hand over hers.

"Because of those stupid hormones!" she cruised and wiped the tears away.

Troy smiled.

"Why are you smiling?"

"Because you look cute."

Gabriella blushed, but continued eating. "But you're going to work tomorrow, right?"

"Are you?" he asked her back.

Gabriella nodded, "I think so. I mean, after all I don't feel as bad as yesterday. I don't sneeze, my fever's gone and I barely cough. Besides, pregancy doesn't mean I can't work."

"Well you can take another day off if you want to."

"Isn't it good that I am in a relationship with my boss." Gabriella said and kissed Troy. "How's my replacement doing anyway?" the brunette asked as she took a bite of the pancake in front of her.

"She was a little helpless at the beginning, but she's doing quite well now."

Gabriella nodded, "Okay... That's good."

"You know, Ashley told me that you worked from New York."

Gabriella frowned, "What exactly did she mention?"

"Basically that you did all the work Amber was hired for."

The brunette's mouth dropped, "Not all of it. I mean she still... You know, had to do the coffee runs and stuff."

"Gabriella..."

"She was a helpless wreck! She would've set the place in fire without my help!" Gabriella defended herself.

Troy decided to drop the subject and looked at the watch, "It's already ten. You should probably get home after breakfast to change. I'll drive you."

"Yeah, I really can't go to my gynecologist in my boyfriend's old Yale shirt." she agreed and ate the last pancake, "Don't you want to eat something?"

"No." he said holding up his coffee, "It's just coffee in the morning for me."

"Ha, that used to be my breakfast as well... Guess now I have to change my eating habits." Gabriella said as she finished eating.

"Gabriella..." Troy started.

She got up and turned around, "Mind if I keep this shirt?"

He smiled and shook his head, "No, not at all."

Gabriella and Troy found themselves in the practice of Gabriella's gynecologist, Dr. Montgomery. Both humans were surrounded by pregnant women. Pregnant at every stage: 40 weeks, 25 weeks, 32 weeks, 15 weeks... And in the middle of it was Gabriella, wearing a simple jeans and a white shirt with a dark red cardigan over it..

"Miss Montez, please." the doctor's assistant said.

Gabriella and Troy got up and followed the woman into one of the doctor's examination room. Gabriella got out of her underpants and sat onto the examining chair.

"Are you okay?" she asked Troy as he looked around.

"I don't know, I've never knocked someone up so I don't know what to do or say..." he answered honest.

"Sit down and take a deep breath." Gabriella ordered from the examing chair.

Troy did what she told him to. "Now we get to know if you really are pregnant..."

"I really hope it's only one child. Are you a twin?" she asked him.

"No, but my mom is."

"And my grandfather was one as well." Gabriella said and turned her head to the door as it opened.

"Well good morning, Gabriella." Dr. Montgomery said, looking at her chart. "I am reading that you had a positive pregnancy test." she said and closed the door behind herself.

"You must be the father then." she said to Troy and shook his hand.

"Yes." Troy agreed, somehow being proud. Father. That sounded nice, didn't it? But that word was also connected with a lot of responsibility.

"Alright, then let's see if I can find a hearbeat..." Dr. Montgomery said and sheated the ultrasound.

Both possible parents stared at the monitor in silence. "It sometimes takes a while, don't worry..." Dr. Montgomery reasured them. Suddenly a fast racing sound appeared. Dr. Montgomery smiled, "Sounds like horse racing, doesn't it?"

Gabriella nodded.

"That's the heartbeat?" Troy asked amazed.

"That's the heartbeat. Congratulations, you're going to be parents." the dark red haired doctor said smiling, "You're about five weeks pregnant." Dr. Montgomery said with a smile on her lips.

Gabriella and Troy returned her smile.

"Do you have any questions?" she asked the couple.

Gabriella shook her head. "No, I am all happy."

Dr. Montgomery smiled, "That's nice to hear. What about the father?"

Troy was silent. He was going to be a Dad! A real father! They will have a child. Suddenly he felt Gabriella hitting him slightly, "What?" he asked both women.

Gabriella laughed, "I guess he's still a bit amazed by everything."

"Okay, so you need to be careful in the next ten weeks. Don't lift too heavy or you could lose your baby. There's still a great chance of a miscarriage until the first trimester is over." Dr. Montgomery explained and they both just nodded, "I'm going to give you some prospects as well. Oh and your maternity log of course."

"Thanks." Gabriella said as she got them.

"Alright, then see you in ten weeks, Mrs. and Mr. Montez." Dr. Montgomery said and left the two alone.

"Mr. And Mrs. Montez?" Gabriella asked shocked as she got dressed.

Troy didn't say a word. He didn't even hear it. He stoped hearing anything after hearing the heartbeat of his child.

"Troy?"

"Huh?" he asked her confused.

"Get out of your dreamland and come back to reality." Gabriella said.

But she didn't know that his dreamland _was_ reality at this moment. Suddenly Gabriella's phone rang. Troy handed her her purse and she got it out. "Hi, Sharp."

"And were you at Dr. Montgomery's office?"

"I still am actually." Gabriella answered as she left the examing room. Having her purse on the left shoulder, her cell on the right ear, she laced her fingers with Troy's as they walked back to the information desk.

"And?" Sharpay asked impatienly.

"I am five weeks pregnant." Gabriella announced proudly.

"Are you keeping it?" her best friend asked.

"Yes, we decided to keep it."

"We? You told your boss? How did he react?"

"Shocked... But then he said that we should keep it."

"What do you want?"

"Honestly, to be with him. And if we will have a baby on the way, then that's not that bad, is it?" Gabriella asked as she stood in line.

"I'll get the car, alright?" Troy said and kissed her on the cheek.

"Is three o'clock okay with you?" the doctor's assistant asked.

Gabriella nodded, "Yes." she answered.

"Was that just Troy Bolton with you?" Kelly, the doctor's assistant said.

Gabriella decided to lie, "No. You must've confused him."

"Well he looked like him for sure... If Troy knocked up a woman it would be in the tabloids in the next 24 hours." the woman said, "There you go." she said smiling as she handed her a note.

Gabriella returned the woman's smile and took the note with the next doctor's appoitment along with her.

"No, not at all, Gabs. Aww, I can't believe that you are in love - let alone preggers." Sharpay said over the phone as Gabriella left the practice. "So how is it going with you and Troy?"

"Well, I think it's good between us." she answered as she waited for the elevator, "We talked everything through and we're good. I overslept at his apartment last night."

"I figured. Otherwise you would have called me." Sharpay said, "Are you both having a nursery in your apartments?"

"You know, Troy asked me to move in with him." Gabriella explained as she got into the elevator. It was filled with business men and women.

"A little rushed, don't you think?"

"I completely agree. But I want to try to live with him. I'm gonna live with him for a week. If nothing goes wrong we'll try another week..." she said as she pushed the P button.

"Until you're comfortable with the situation."

"Exactly. I mean, maybe we will only have one nursery when the baby's born. Maybe we won't. Who knows?"

"Sounds all very rational." Sharpay agreed, "I'm proud of you."

"Anything new with you and Scott?" she asked her best friend.

"Nah! Still living together. Still not sick of each other. Still in love." Sharpay said. "Oh are you guys going to tell anyone?"

"No. I mean, yes. You obviously know. We want to tell my mother and his parents... But only after it is really sure, that we are having this baby."

"Meaning?"

"After the first trimester. Perhaps later. And everyone else will figure it out when I get to work with a huge baby bump in front of me. Gosh everyone will stare at me, just cause I am carring Troy Bolton's baby." Gabriella said and laughed, "Sharp, I'm going to be fat."

"Oh no, you won't be fat. Just pregnant."

"Nice way of talking it down, Sharpay Evans."

"Alright, I have to hang up. I need to keep on working." Sharpay said and hung up.

Gabriella smiled and noticed that the women next to her had been listening to her conversation. "Excuse me, were you just talking about Troy Bolton?" the red haired woman with bright green eyes asked.

"That's none of your business." Gabriella answered and got out of the elevator. "Weirdos." she mumbled as she walked to the silver Range Rover Sport. "Hey did you know that there are weirdos in elevators in Los Angeles?" Gabriella asked her boyfriend as she got into his car.

"Not yet." Troy answered as he started the car.

"This _woman_ listened to my conversation over the phone with Sharpay. When we finished she asked me if I was talking about you! I mean, seriously!" Gabriella expressed her anger. "You just can't listen to other people's phonecalls. That's privacy invading!"

Troy didn't say a word.

"Hello? Any statement, here?" Gabriella said in a loud voice.

"She was probably a journalist." Troy explained as if it was nothing.

"WHAT?" Gabriella asked him shocked.

"It will probably be in the tabloids early tomorrow morning. The whole office will be gossiping about us. Everything and yet nothing will be revealed if we keep our mouths shut."

"So no comments?"

"No comments. If anyone asks, we deny it. We deny it until everyone stops asking. We say that it would be ridiculous to have a relationship with each other. We say that it's inappropriate and beyong all rules. We tell them that we are no rule breakers and that we have a strict professional relationship with absolutely no personal feelings attached."

"So in one sentence, we lie."

"Yes." Troy agreed with her.

"Does that mean we can't go out on dates?" Gabriella asked her boyfriend.

"Not until you start showing."

"But the first trimester is the one most fun. In the fist trimester I still fit into all of my clothes!" Gabriella complained.

"That's the beauty of secrets, honey." Troy said.

"No fair." she said looking out of the window as Troy stopped at a red light.

"Welcome to life with me." Troy said and kissed her.

The next morning Gabriella was showering in Troy's bathroom. Gabriella sang to the music in the radio as she washed her hair. The hot water felt extremely good on her skin.

"_I'm in love, I'm in love, I'm in love with a strict machine."_ Gabriella sang and suddenly felt hands on her hips. "_Cause I need you_." Gabriella sang to her boyfriend and kissed him under the shower.

"I didn't know you could sing so well." Troy said after the kiss.

"Why are you dressed in a shower?" Gabriella asked her boyfriend. He was wearing a dark jeans and a light yellow oxford shirt.

"Because a) I missed you, b) I had to find out if that amazing voice belongs to you or the radio and c) because it's illeagal to look that hot in a shower." he said and kissed me again, "And d) because just seeing you makes me horny. Whether you're dressed or not."

Gabriella returned his kiss, "Well then let's get you out of your clothes so you can join me." she said as she unbuttoned his oxford shirt. "Besides, you don't look so bad either."

The brunette helped him out of his oxford shirt and trousers.

"You know, this is even more turning me on than just seeing you." Troy whispered, lifting up Gabriella's chin and kissing her again. Gabriella returned his kiss with pleasure and felt her body pressing against the shower wall seconds later. She stroke through his wet hair as she felt his kisses on her neck, shoulders and breasts. "Oh Gosh..." she moaned.

"Mhm, I could say the same to you." Troy said before he kissed her and wrapped her left leg around his hip.

Gabriella quickly pulled a white blouse on and a black skirt, "We are going to be late. Just because-"

"You wanted to have sex again and again and again?" Troy answered as he got dressed himself.

"Well it's not like you complained, Mr. Bolton" she teased him.

"Yeah, I could have more mornings like this one." Troy confessed and kissed the mother of his unborn child.

"Stop kissing me or I swear I'll be all over you within a milisecond."

"Really?" Troy asked her in a flirty voice as he kissed her again.

"Stop..." Gabriella said between the kisses, "We'll be late."

"I am your boss. I set the rules, not you." Troy said and kissed her again.

"Oh whatever." she mumbled and felt herself falling softly on the king sized bed in the master bedroom. She continued kissing him as she felt him pulling up her skirt and pulling of her thong. Gabriella opened Troy's trousers and pulled down his boxer shorts. "At least we don't have to be safe any more." he smirked before kissing him again.

"I love you, Troy." Gabriella whispered into his icy blue eyes.

"I love you too, Gabriella." he said smiling before he kissed her again. "How can you be horny at all times?"

"Hormones, babe. Hormones..." she sang into his ear and kissed it. "But you are quite aroused as well." Gabriella said as he kissed him again. Then she felt his penis entering her and she moaned, "Oh Gosh..." she whispered and grabed the sheets around her.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you liked that chapter.<strong>

**Please review :).**

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	17. He is breaking his rules for you

**Chapter 17: He is breaking his rules for you**

_Eight weeks later:_

Troy and Gabriella were still sharing one bed. She still lived at his apartment, getting more comfortable with him every day. She already had half of her stuff at his apartment. With every week passing, Gabriella's nausea went away until one day Gabriella didn't feel the need to vomit at the scent of coffee filling the house. But there were still other smells, which made her vomit. Other than that, Gabriella didn't feel a change - not on her body and not on the inside. She still was pregnant - that wasn't going to change - but there was no baby bump, much to Troy's disappointment. This man had shown lots of excitement in the last weeks. He really got into this pregnancy, he even bought pregnancy books! Today was Gabriella's last day in her first trimester, meaning the risk for a miscarriage was now low.

The Spanish brunette was in her office, drawing circles on the piece of paper in front of her. She couldn't concentrate on work because there was this smell, which made her throw up every half hour. It was a horrible perfume, a floral sweet smell. It made Gabriella throw up. She sighed and heard her cellphone ringing. Another text message. Another e-mail. "Ugh, I don't want to work." Gabriella mumbled to herself and heard a knock on her door. "Come in!" she was thankful for every distraction.

Ashley walked into Gabriella's office, smiling, "How's your day?" she asked the brunette.

"Full of work, but I am thankful for every distraction."

"So you won't mind if I steal you for lunch?" she asked her friend with a smile on her lips.

Gabriella shook her head, got up and grabed her purse, "No, not at all."

"Troy's been busy the whole day... Otherwise I had asked him to come along."

"You wanted me to go to lunch with my boss and you?" she asked her friend as she closed the door of her office.

"He isn't _that_ bad once you get to know him."

"Oh I believe every word, but I am not interested in getting to know my boss any closer. After all, he is my boss." Gabriella lied.

"But he likes you. I know that he likes you."

"No he doesn't." Gabriella said and pushed the button.

"Yes, he does. A sister sees something like that." Ashley said smiling.

"Pfff, you're bluffing." Gabriella answered as she stepped into the elevator.

"Yeah, I wished..."

"Anyways, could we change the subject?"

"No. You like him as well."

"No, I don't. I have nothing but professional feelings towards him." the brunette lied again.

"You don't think he's hot?"

"Never denyed that one." Gabriella said and smiled, "Oh course he is hot! He is the hottest bachelor of whole Los Angeles."

"So what was that with Jason anyway? Are you guys dating now?"

**"**Me and Jason?" the brunette asked amazed, "No..."

"But he sent you flowers. Beautiful lillies. I saw them."

"Yeah, he did send me flowers after our date... But no. I am not the relationship kind of girl." Gabriella answered as she walked out.

Both women were shocked as they were greeted by paparazzi. Flashes appeared every milisecond and made it almost impossible to see their own footsteps. On top of that there were 20 different voices asking the two ladies questions. "Are you really pregnant?"

"When's the due date?"

"Is Troy the father?"

"When are you two getting married?"

Gabriella made her way to her car and held the door open for Ashley. This was crazy.

Ashley closed the door behind herself and was silent as Gabriella started the car. "_What_ was that?" she asked shocked.

"Not now." Gabriella said as she slowly got out of her parking spot.

The brunette drove in silence out of the parking deck and on the street.

Her ringing phone interrupted the awfull silence. "Could you hand me my phone?" she asked Ashley.

"Sure." Ashley said and pulled the phone out of Gabriella's Chanel purse.

"Yes?" she asked the unknown caller.

"We're in the tabloids." she heard his voice saying.

Gabriella laughed, "I kind of figured when I left the building and got greeted by the paparazzi, taking pictures of Ashley and me."

"Ashley's with you?"

"Yes, she is." and looked to her right. The blonde woman was still in shock. "It took her quite by surprise, to be honest."

"Explain it to her."

"Explain what?" she asked him confused.

"Everything. Talk to her. She should know. She could be helping to keep us a secret."

"Right..." Gabriella said and stopped at a red light, "I'll talk to you later." she said hung up.

"Who was that?" Ashley asked.

"Troy." Gabriella said in a calm voice as she continued driving, "Where would you like to have lunch?"

"Vienna." Ashley said in amazement, "Did you just call your boss by his first name?"

Gabriella focused her eyes on the street, "Yes, I did." she said as she turned left.

"Gabriella, what's going on with you and him? There is something between you guys."

The Spanish woman nodded, "Yes."

"Would you finally talk to me? Why were there paparazzi in front of the office?"

Gabriella shrugged, "Must've be because of the articles in the tabloids."

"What articles?"

"I don't know. All I know is that there are articles." Gabriella explained and started to look for a parking spot.

"What do they say?"

"Hopefully something made up. Because otherwise I am going to have to get used to those fucking paparazzi, making my life hell. Well, not only my life..." she said and parked the car. Then she pulled the key and looked at her friend.

"What is going on?" Ashley asked her friend confused.

"You were right. There is a chemistry between my boss and me. So strong that we can't keep our feelings seperate from the professional work life."

"Oh I knew it!" she said and smiled, "You guys should go out. Go on dates. You will like him. I know it, you guys fit perfectly together. He's just as screwed up as you are."

"Uhm, thank you?" Gabriella asked a little confused.

"Did he ask you out already?"

Gabriella shook his head, "No. We haven't been on a date yet." _Why haven't we?_

"Why?"

Gabriella shrugged, "Because we were busy with other things..."

"Oh my Gosh!" Ashley said and covered her mouth, "You guys are sleeping together! My brother is fucking his assistant!" she asked shocked.

"Thanks for your way of pronouncing assistant and brother in _that_ way." Gabriella said and smiled.

"He is breaking his rules for you, you know. He has rules to not sleep with any employee no matter how hot she is. The only exception would be... Oh my Gosh!" she said and covered her mouth again.

"What?"

"He loves you! He's _that_ sure. He's in love with you. That's why he has been sleeping with you."

"He still is."

"Then he still is." Ashley said and stroke through her blonde waves. "My brother is in love... With his assistant."

"Of course you love to pronounce our relationship in _that_ way."

"Relationship? I thought you guys were only hooking up."

"Yeah, well no. We are trying the relationship thing since everyone has recommended it." Gabriella said.

Ashley nodded, "Okay... Okay, my brother is in a relationship. But don't be disappointed if he screws you over, alright? He tends to do that."

"Oh I doubt it."

"Yeah, other girls said that before."

"Mhm..." the brunette said, bitting on her lip.

"What?

"Well the other girls weren't expecting."

"What?" Ashley said shocked. "You're preggers? As in with a baby?"

"No with an alien." Gabriella said and rolled her eyes.

"He knocked you up?"

"Not on porpose, I must say."

"I can't believe it!" Ashley said, looking out the window, "How far are you?"

"13th week."

"You're going to keep it?"

She nodded, "Yeah..."

"Does he know?"

"Yes. I told him."

"And how did he react?"

"Shocked... And then sweet..." Gabriella said smiling.

Ashley rolled her eyes, "My brother knocked his assistant up. So that's what's in all of those articles."

"I think so. I haven't read any of those though. And I don't want the whole company to gossip about us. That's why we will deny everything until I start showing. And we need your help with that." Gabriella said.

Ashley nodded, "How can I not help you? After all you are now carrying my niece or nephew..." she said smiling and hugged her. "Congrats."

Gabriella smiled as she felt the hug, as she felt the comfort. "Are you ready for lunch?"

Ashley nodded and got out of the car, "Are you guys getting married now?"

Gabriella laughed, "No, definitely not. I don't want to get married at 22."

"But do you want to get married to Troy?" Ashley asked her friend as they entered the restaurant.

Gabriella shrugged, "I don't know him well enough to give you an answer."

Troy Bolton sat in front of his iMac in his office. He couldn't focus on work. He couldn't focus on anything but Gabriella and Ashley. How did she react? She would have probably freaked out. Really, really freaked out.

He scrolled down the websites, which were reporting about him and Gabriella.

_**Mini Bolton on the way!**_

_A source tell us, that Mr. Bolton is going to be a father! Appearently, he knocked up a stranger. Six weeks ealier he was spotted with a dark brown brunette at a bar in downtown, LA. Just days ago several witnesses tell us that he had been at the gynecologist with the same beauty. Pregnant or not, he is for sure taking responsebility for his actions. Although it would be kind of sad to see our hottest bachelor with a stroller walking down Melrose Avenue..._

_**Did Troy Bolton knock up his assistant?**_

_The mouths had been gossiping for weeks and now we finally have proof. Troy Bolton had been spotted leaving a gynecologist with his assistant! Clearly he was with her at the doctor's appointment to see if he will be a father or not. A close source to them told us that those two had been more than just professional with each other. We will keep our eyes open for a baby bump._

He quickly closed the page as he heard another knock on the door. "Mr. Bolton, there's a casting you'll need to attend to." Amber answered as she looked at the chart in front of her. "At five."

He nodded, "I know. Already agreed on it."

Amber nodded, "Well and don't forget the trip to Miami in a week..." Amber answered as she walked out.

Seconds later Troy's cell rang and he looked at the display: Appointment with Dr. Montgomery: Ultrasound at 4 o'clock.

He smiled and looked at his watch, it was already three. His cell rang again. It was a textmessage from Gabriella: _Going to the appointment with Ashley. Hope you don't mind. Will you come along?_

Ashley went with Gabriella to her appointment. Okay...

No, that was not okay with him. He wanted to go as well.

_It'a fine. I have an appointment anyway. How did she react to your pregnancy?_ He texted back instead.

_She was kinda shocked at first, but is now happy. Guess the reaction's in the blood._

Troy smiled as he read the message. _When do you want to meet up with my Dad? We still gotta tell our parents._

_In a couple of weeks._ Gabriella texted back.

* * *

><p><strong>A new chapter. Hope you enjoyed it :)<strong>

**Please review.  
><strong>

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	18. He chooses his words carefully

**Chapter 18: He chooses his words carefully**

"_That_ was amazing." Ashley said as they both left Gabriella's gynecologist. "I mean, that heartbeat and... And you have a child inside of you. Seeing it makes it _real_. Makes it amazing. You will be a mother in a couple of months, you know that right?" she asked her friend.

Gabriella laughed, "I kind of figured, yeah..."

"Oh, do you guys already have baby stuff?"

"I don't even know the sex yet. How are we suppose to buy baby clothes then?"

"Well you can buy essential things like... A crib or something like that. Oh, I'll be the spoiling aunt!" she said grinning.

"Oh no you won't." Gabriella disagreed as they walked to her car.

"I _so_ will!" Ash said grinning. "I can't believe you're pregnant!"

"But you just saw that I am pregnant." Gabriella ensured her as they got into her black Mercedes.

"I know, but... I mean, don't get me wrong but Troy has always been the bachelor in our family. His last relationship was with a women named Sydney. Sydney White. She now works at Wilson's records, but that was after they broke up. Sydney and him met in college. At Yale." she started, "Do you mind dropping me off?"

"No, not at all." Gabriella said and started her car.

"So, they met in college and they seemed to be in love. They had been hooking up since High School to be honest. They laid eyes on each other the year they both graduated from High School. Sydney transfered from a French school, so she had only been at school for about two months. As soon as they met in Yale again, the fire sparked off between the two of them. It wasn't love at first sight, but it definitely seemed to be love."

"Why did they broke up?" Gabriella asked her as she turned right.

Ashley shrugged, "Troy said that they cheated on each other. But I don't believe him."

"Why not? I mean, I thought he was a player..."

"Yeah, but he let her in. She must've cheated on him and therefore break his heart. That's the way I see it."

Gabriella nodded, "Sounds like an explanation for his behaviour as a former player..."

"I really hope it isn't like it was between him and Sydney."

"Me, too." Gabriella agreed. "So he loved her... How can he still remains friends with her then?"

"I don't think he loved her. I mean, even he doubts that he ever loved her. He said that he thought he loved her." Ashley explained, "Besides, you can be collegues with your ex-girlfriend. Obviously you can."

Gabriella nodded and continued to drive in silence.

"Do you think he loves you?" Ashley asked her, unsure wherther she wants to hear the answer or not.

"I think he does. I know that I do."

"Has he told you that?" Ashley asked back.

The brunette nodded.

"Then he does love you. Troy choses his words carefully. He doesn't lie. He just sometimes tends to hide the truth without lieing. He's good at those kind of things. But once he said he loves you, then he really does love you." Ashley said with a smile on her lips.

"But that he loves me doesn't mean he won't cheat on me..." Gabriella answered as she stopped in front of Ashley's house.

"Are you that insecure about him?"

"I'm not insecure. I am just realistic." Gabriella said, knowing that she was right.

"Anyhow, I should go." Ashley said and got out of the car, "Thanks for the ride and have a nice evening."

"You as well." Gabriella said and smiled as Ashley closed the door of the black Mercedes.

Gabriella opened the door of Troy's apartment only to see that he was already home.

"Why are you home so early?" she asked him as she got ouf of her shoes, "It's only 8 pm."

"Can't I surprise you with my amazing cooking skills?"

"As long as they don't make me wanna vomit again, yeah." Gabriella said and kissed him softly on his cheek, "What'cha cooking?"

"Pasta. To play it safe."

Gabriella nodded, "Yeah you really are playing it safe..." she said and he kissed her again.

"You know, there was invite in my mail today." he started and brushed through her dark brown locks. "To my cousin's wedding."

"Really?" she asked him, "When's the wedding?"

"In three weeks. You could meet my parents there. It would be the perfect opportunity." he answered. "I mean then we could tell them a-"

"No." Gabriella said simply, "I will attend this wedding if you request but we won't tell your parents about my pregnancy. Not at your cousin's wedding. It's her day, Troy. Don't be selfish." she answered and walked away, "Great now I feel like I'm about to vomit. Thank you very much."

"I take that as a 'Yes, I feel honored to attend the wedding with you." he called after her, smiling.

* * *

><p><strong>I know it was a short chapter, but I hope you enjoyed reading it :).<strong>

**I'm gonna be in Dublin, Ireland for the next week, which means you guys have to wait at least a week for an update.**

**Please review.**

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	19. I think she might be the one

**Chapter 19: I think she might be the one**

_Three weeks later:_

Gabriella was getting dressed in the bedroom of their suite. The bedroom was held in light colors and had windows with views Gabriella could kill for. She only had been in St. Barths for two days but she already fell in love with it. Although she hadn't been at the beach yet, the view of the water was amazing. The whole Hotel Le Toiny was amazing. She didn't even want to know how pricy it was to stay here...

The flight to St. Barths on the other hand hadn't been so pleasant. Gabriella felt sick the whole flight and actually vomited about two times. There had been better flies in her life.

Right now Gabriella made sure she got her body into the lavender colored dress. It was a Valentino dress, which Troy had given to her as a present. This dress was worth about 15.000 $ and Troy just gave it to her. Like it was normal to make such presents.

"Gabriella, are you done yet?" Troy voice filled the bedroom.

Gabriella closed the zipper of her new dress and got her feet into her shoes. Then she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She frenchbraided two sections of her hair and pulled it up. On her ears were simple diamond earrings and on her neck was a simple diamond necklace as well.

"Gabs, we're going to be la-" he stopped as he saw Gabriella looking at herself in the mirror. The dress fit her perfectly. The lavender color matched Gabriella's skin perfectly. And her hair looked beyond amazing.

Gabriella turned around and looked at his open mouth, "What? Is something wrong?" she asked him.

He shook his head and smiled, "Nothing's wrong. You are perfect." he said and kissed his girlfriend.

"Well thank you." the brunette said and laced her hand with his. "Let's go then."

The Wedding ceremony had been incredible. The music, the enviroment, the guests... Everything had been perfect. One day she would have a wedding like this. The bride, her name's Jane White now, looked amazing. She wore a sleeveless white dress by Alexander McQueen.

The dress fit her body perfectly and she looked beyond happy.

Gabriella had yet not met Troy's parents, although it was already evening. Both had been super busy and only sat down to drink a glass of water. Gabriella and Troy hadn't gotten the chance to talk to them yet. Much to Troy's regret.

As everyone danced on the dancefloor Gabriella noticed that everyone kept looking at them and whispered something to their neighbour. "You realize that they are all gossiping about us?" Gabriella asked Troy, who took a sip of his water.

He smiled, "Of course they are. I am the eternal bachelor. Or so they thought."

Gabriella rolled her eyes, "Eternal bachelor. Funny." she said and smiled at him.

He did not return her smile.

"You're serious. They _really_ think that?"

He nodded and pointed to the group of woman at the age of 20-something. "One of them would kill to be sitting with me right now."

"You're probably related to them."

"That doesn't bother them."

"Does it bother you?"

"Of course. They are the best friends from my cousin's husband."

"Which means they are absolutely _not_ related to you."

"But that doesn't keep them from flirting with me when you're gone."

"Or to kill me when you are gone." Gabriella said and they both laughed.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked her.

Gabriella shook her head. "No. My feet are killing me. I can barely walk, I think dancing would be too much."

"But you're okay beside that, right?"

The brunette nodded, "I am all fine, Troy. Don't you worry." she asured him and kissed his lips softly.

"Okay time to throw the bouquet! Every woman who isn't married, get your butt here!" Jane cried.

Gabriella laughed, "Guess I should get going." she said and got up. "Wish me luck."

Troy smiled as he watched her making her way to the dance floor.

It only took them seconds to sit next to him. Only seconds.

"So how long do you plan to stay with her?" Richard, Troy's father asked.

"Took you long enough to finally come and talk to me." Troy responded. "Hello mother."

"You shouldn't let go off that woman, Troy. She seems lovely and caring for you." Cynthia said and brushed through the hair of her son. "Do you like that woman?"

He nodded, "I enjoy being with her."

"You hear that Richard, he _enjoys_ being with her. That's at least something."

"Well you must be having some sort of feelings for her, if you bring her along to something like that."

Gabriella watched Troy talking to an elder couple, who considering their look, were his parents. Troy's father had dark brown short hair and piercy green eyes, while his mother was blonde and crystal-blue eyed. Troy's mother wore a light green colored dress, while his father wore a black suit. Although they were clearly over 60, they still seemed to be in love and happy. They seemed like they cared for his son.

"Well she wanted to meet you guys. I couldn't say now, could I?" he said to both parents.

Cindy nodded, "So it _is_ something serious between the two of you."

He nodded, "I take her serious."

"You heard that? He's taking her _serious_."

"Would you stop that?" Troy asked his mother, "I really like her, mother. Don't scare her away."

His mom held her hands up, "I promise I won't harm her."

"Thanks. And you too, Dad."

"Fine. No bad words will leave this mouth."

"Thank you." Troy said and watched his father leave the table.

"Now, tell me how you really feel about this woman..." Cindy said and got up, "Come on, let's take a walk outside."

The dancefloor was filled with more than 30 bachelorettes. It was beyond full. They all were beautiful in their own special way. And they all wore amazing dresses. Probably each more worth than all of her properties.

"Okay, "Jane said in a loud voice, "One, two, three!" she said and threw the bouquet of flowers in the air.

Gabriella turned her head around to only see the bouquet land straight into her hands. Guess, she had been lucky. Or something.

"Oh guess Gabriella will be the next who's getting married!" Jane announced and hugged the brunette.

Gabriella smiled akwardly, "No, I doubt that."

"Oh you don't have a boyfriend? No problem, I'll find you one in a second. Hey Clark-"

"No, it's not that I don't have a boyfriend. I just don't want to get married any time soon."

"That's right. She's here with Troy!" Someone behind them yelled.

"Troy? You're here with my favorite cousin?" Jane asked Gabriella.

Gabriella shrugged, "I guess I am."

Jane hugged her right away, "Consider yourself as something special, Gabriella."

Both, son and mother, were walking down the beach of St. Barts. The sun hadn't set yet, but it would soon. The beach was empty. Well, a couple of kids were playing in the sand, ruining their Armani dresses and Gucci suits...

"I am in love with her, mother." Troy confessed as they walked along the water. "I think she might be the one for me."

Cynthia was shocked, such deep feelings for a woman... From her son? "Well, I didn't know you had such deep feelings for this woman."

"Her name is Gabriella."

"For Gabriella then. I mean, how long do you know her?"

"About a year."

"One year? Well getting married might be a little rushed, don't you think?"

"I don't want to marry her. At least not yet. I want to have a normal, solid relationship for at least three years before I make such a life changing decision. All I am saying is that I would make such a life changing decision if it's her in my life."

"She's very pretty."

Troy smiled and thought about her earlier when she looked at herself in the mirror, looking for flaws, "She's beautiful. And smart. She's definitely smart." he said and felt himself blush.

Cindy smiled at his son and hugged him, "It's just like with your father and me... Well, before we got divorced."

"I hope that's not a bad sign..." the man mumbled in front of him.

Gabriella scanned the crowd, looking for Troy, holding the bouquet of white roses in her hands. It seemed like everyone was staring at her. Well they all had been staring at her because she was Troy's date, but now they are staring at her because she is Troy's date _and_ holds that stupid boquet. Of course they were gossiping as well.

She found him outside, talking to his mother at the beach. She took a deep breath and started to walk over to him. Time to meet the mother.

She heard Troy's and his mother's laugh as she slowly reached them. They seemed so happy. So average.

Troy's eye lit as he saw the brunette walking over to them. She looked amazing in the sunset light. She looked like his very own angel, carring _their_ very own angel. She looked perfect.

"Hey, " she said as she slowly reached him, "Guess what? I got lucky." she said holding up the bouquet of white roses.

Cindy glanced at his son, letting him know that maybe this was a sign.

Troy smiled and embraced her with one arm, "Gabriella, this is my mother Cynthia. Mom this is Gabriella."

Gabriella smiled, "Nice to meet you." she said and held the hand with the bouquet to his mother, "Right. Sorry." she said and handed the bouquet to Troy. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Bolton."

"Mrs. Bolton is his Grandmother. Call me Cindy." Cynthia said and smiled at the Spanish brunette in front of her.

Gabriella returned her smile.

"Anyways, " Cynthia started, "I should get going. I still have _a lot_ to manage. Have a nice evening, you two."

"Same's for you." Gabriella said with a smile on her lips and watched her leaving. "Gosh, I am _so_ horrible!" she said and turned around to face Troy.

"No you're not. That was kind of sweet."

"No, it was embarrassing and horrible." Gabriella said and hugged Troy.

He watched his mother turn around and mouthing him a "Don't let go of her". Troy smiled and his mother returned his smile before she turned around again.

"Your mother _hates_ me." Gabriella answered, cuddeling into his chest.

"No, she doesn't..." he said and brushed through her dark brown locks.

"And I haven't even met your father. Don't let me meet him without you by my side. Otherwise I will make a complete idiot out of myself, _again_." she wailed again. "Gosh this night's a disaster!"

"No it's not. You caught a bouquet."

"Yeah, that _stupid_ bouquet. I only went because I had to. I didn't expect to catch those stupid flowers. I didn't want to catch the roses." Gabriella complained, "I mean not that they aren't beautiful, because they are..."

Troy looked her into her eyes, "Gabriella," he said and lifted up her chin.

"What?" she said.

"You worry too much." he said before he kissed her, "Enjoy the moment. While it lasts."

"Gosh, it is so beautiful out here." Gabriella said, cuddled in Troy's arms and covered with a dark red blanket. "I wish we could stay here longer."

Both were sitting on a porch swing, in front of their bungalow. It was a chilly night. A clear night, though. The stars were shining down and the waves of the ocean were splashing against the stones on the horizont. It really was a beautiful night.

"We can stay as long as you want." the man said and kissed her cheek.

"What exactly happened the night you showed up at my hotel room? You know back in New York. When you... You know, sent me away." she asked him, hoping he knew which night she refered to.

He sighed and brushed through his sandy brown hair, "I don't really remember much, to be honest. I got pretty drunk. At some local bar in New York. And at some point I got into a fight. With... Someone. I don't know. I mean, that night is kind of blurry. I remember that I... You know, wanted to express my feelings for you. I wanted you to tell you that I love you. I wanted to do that at the Gala. That's why I went. But I was a coward, frankly. And you were so... You looked so stunning that night. You looked beautiful and happy and... You seemed to enjoy yourself. So that's why I couldn't do it. Couldn't tell you. That's what happened."

"Why did you came to me? I mean, you had your own hotel room. A suite, most likely."

"I..." he paused, "You make me feel safe. Whenever I am around you, I can be myself. Without any regrets."

Gabriella smiled, knowing that she was feeling the exact same way. "I know what you mean."

"Speaking of the past: Why did you ask me if I were a surgeon or a lawyer? You know, the first time we met."

"Weird questions to ask someone you just met, right?" Gabriella asked him laughing.

He shrugged, "It was kind of weird. But it didn't kept me from sitting next to you."

"Well, I had a couple of relationships before... Us. And I find that dating a lawyer or a surgeon is the most difficult thing I have ever done."

"Why?"

"Surgeons don't have time for a relationship, neither do lawyers. Give your heart to them and the surgeon's going to cut it into pieces. The lawyer's going analyse it, trying to understand how it works. But when it comes to the point to fight... They all give up."

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><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter.<strong>

**Dublin was aaaaamazing! I had _so_ much fun :D. But now I am back... Back for school and back for you guys of course.**

**Please review.**

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	20. I said no words

**Chapter 20: I said no words**

_Two weeks later:_

Gabriella opened the door of Troy's apartment at about 11 p.m. - this day had been hectic. More than hectic actually. The Spanish beauty had been working with Ellie Goulding for about 3 hours, during her assistant job and afterwards since Troy left his office for some reason earlier. She had managed all that - while she was on a plane. No joke. Gabriella had been in New York, where she had to support her best friend. She opened her first club. Well, her first club in New York. Luckily for Gabriella, she managed to catch a flight earlier than planned - that way she would be faster home. Faster than expected.

Somehow the door opened a little harder then usually. Gabriella walked in and looked at the floor. There were clothes. Clothes lieing all over in the apartment. Clothes which were male... And female. There was a female Diesel Jeans lieing right in front of her. A white blouse. A pair of black pumps. She was not the one who owned such pumps. Neither did she own those jeans...or that blouse. No, that couldn't be.

As Gabriella walked to the stairs she noticed a smell. A sweet floral smell. A smell just like Chanel No 5. Gabriella herself wore Chanel's No 22. She never wore Chanel's No 5, because it smelled immature to her. It wasn't the scent for her. But appearently for someone else.

She needed to know. Gabriella needed to know if he had been cheating on her or not. No matter how awfull this would be for her. She needed to see it in order to be able to believe it. That's why she continued walking up the stairs carefully, trying to not make much noise. She heard moans. Female moans. Moans of a stranger. Of a female stranger.

She stoped in front of the closed doors of the bedrooms. She placed her hand on the doorknob and took one last deep breath before she opened the door.

There he was fucking another woman. Who she was, Gabriella didn't know at first. But then she recognized the strange woman. It was Sydney White, Troy's ex. Or former ex-girlfriend. From her perspective, those two had it really going as she stormed their private party. The woman was blonde. A blonde bimbo. A blonde bimbo with _huge_ breasts. And she was slim. Very slim. Unlike Gabriella. She had gained 8 kg in the past weeks.

Troy stared at the woman in the doorway. He didn't expect her to be here. Not at this time. She was early. Very early. Too early. He didn't expect her to catch him cheating on her. Not this time.

He immediately felt guilty. Very, _very_ guilty. "Gabriel-"

The Spanish beauty shook her head, "No. No talking." she answered, "Keep on doing. You're clearly having more fun than with me." she added and closed the doors again.

Gabriella turned around, unable to breath. Unable to think clearly. Unable to function right.

But she made it to the door. She made it to the front door. She made it... Or so she thought.

"Gabriella..." Troy called her and touched her shoulder. He was covered with a simple blanket. "I'm-"

"No, don't talk." Gabriella said, fighting against the tears. "No words."

"But-"

"I said no _FREAKING WORDS!"_ Gabriella yelled at him with pure hurt and anger in her eyes and voice.

He was silent and just stared into her eyes. He looked at her as if he was apologizing with his eyes. As if one look could change everything. "Don't go." he begged her.

"Fuck off!" Gabriella yelled again. She grabed her purse and luggage before she left his apartment. She pushed the button and waited for the elevator to come.

"Gabriella, it isn't what you think. I'm-"

"No! Don't... Once you say something I'm gonna... Don't even try to talk to me, Troy. Or else your gonna cause serious damage. And I am not talking about me." Gabriella said and felt the tear drops on her cheeks. "I don't want to be angry. Not today. Not right now. So don't talk and let me go."

"But-"

"I said fuck the hell off, Troy!" she yelled again and got into the elevator.

Once the doors closed Gabriella started to breath calmly and regualary. She tried to calm down, in order to sink the stress level she was suffering under. She didn't need stress. She didn't want to cause any trouble for the baby. She didn't want to cause any damage. So that's why she tried to control herself. She tried to control the tears. She tried to ignore her emotions. She tried to hide the disappointment. The pain and anger.

Gabriella felt like in a daze. Her body functioned, without her noticing. Her body made sure she walked out of the elevator. She put her luggage back in her black Mercedes. She got into her car and started to head off to the only direction she could think of: Santa Barbara.

* * *

><p><strong>A short new chapter :)<strong>

**Hope you enjoyed it and please review.**

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	21. A new adjustment

**Chapter 21: A new adjustment**

_Six weeks later:_

Gabriella adjusted quickly to her new home. She got a house at the beach and applied at Sony Music Entertainment and got the job as a producer and song writer. She finally got to do what she always wanted to do: Write and produce music. She was good at her job. She wrote songs, produced until the next early morning... And she loved it. Although she was getting a little more stressed out now she didn't mind. She didn't mind the stress. She loved her work. She loved every single second of it.

It was two in the morning as Gabriella left the elevator and walked to her black Mercedes. She yawned on her way and took the last sip of coffee in order to stay awake and threw the cup into the trash.

"Gabriella!" she heard her name calling and turned around.

"Oh hi Cody." Gabriella said politely and smiled.

"Are you just heading out?" he asked the brunette as he reached her.

"Yes. I had some paperwork to finish... I assume it's the same for you."

The brown haired man with incredible green eyes smiled, "Yes. Well, I was actually thinking we could grab a bite to eat..."

"I need to go home. I'm sorry." Gabriella apologized and smiled, "But perhaps another night, Cody."

"Yeah... Sure. Another night sounds good to me." Cody said and nodded, "Drive safely."

"You, too." Gabriella said with a soft smile on her lips and got into her car. Did she just turn down a _hot_ Australian producer? She must be nuts. Or not over him.

Ten minutes later Gabriella parked in front of her beach house and smiled as she heard the noises of her neighbour's house. They were celebrating Anna's 28th birthday tonight and Gabriella promised to be there - although she was _really_ late.

The Spanish beauty quickly got out of her car and got the present for Anna out of her trunk. It was a tiny present, but yet it contained something special.

With a smile on her face, the brunette walked over to the house and entered it since the front door was unlocked. She walked outside to the beach to see all of her friends gathered around at a table, laughing and talking about recent occasions.

"Gabriella!" Jack said in a loud, drunk voice.

"I am _so_ sorry, guys. I know I am super late, but I got caught up at work." Gabriella apologized and hugged Anna, "Happy Birthday." she said before she handed her the birthday present.

"No problem. We know how crazy your work schedule is." Anna said and smiled, "And thanks for the present."

"So," Gabriella said and sat down on the empty chair, "What did I miss so far?"

"Oh Jack was just talking about their trip to Miami." Hannah answered with a smile on her lips, "Martini?"

Gabriella nodded, "Any good?"

"It was _hilarious!_" Anna said and laughed.

"Oh did Cody finally ask you out?" Sam asked the brunette, "He has been planning to do it for _weeks_."

She nodded.

"So?"

"Did you say yes?"

"No. I dumped him for tonight, because I know how important your birthday party is, Anna." Gabriella said smiling.

"You should go out with him. He's a nice guy." Sam answered.

"He's your brother."

"Hey, that doesn't make him a bad guy, does it?"

"No, but I've already been in a situation like that... Didn't really work out for me." Gabriella answered and shrugged, "Anyways, topic change. When's our flight to Las Vegas?"

"In three days. I couldn't get a flight earlier." Andy answered.

"I'm _so_ excited for it!" Emily cried and smiled.

"A trip with 6 persons _might_ be fun, yeah Emily." Gabriella agreed and laughed. "It's gonna be a blast!"

"Hey, Gabs?" Jack asked her slowly as he looked into the direction of her house.

"What? Did I forget to close the windows again?" she asked him.

"No, there's a man in front of your house."

"A man?" Anna asked and rushed over to Jack, "Fuck, this is Troy Bolton! Guys, Troy Bolton's like five meters away from us!"

"Don't talk bullshit, Ann." Emily said and got up from her chair, "OMG! It's him!"

"No reaction from you?" Andy asked her and took a sip of his Scotish.

"Uhm... No." Gabriella answered.

Both women turned around and glanced at her.

"What?"

"Go over to him!" Emily insisted.

"And invite him to my birthday party. This would _so_ make my birthday! The man of my dreams coming to my birthday party!"

"Hey, what about me?" Jack asked her.

"Your just number two, honey. No one is above Troy Bolton. Girl's rule." Anna said and kissed her boyfriend softly. "Sorry."

"As long as I am number two..."

"You should go. He's creeping me out." Andy said.

"What? You're worried about me?"

"No, worried about your heart, poppet." Andy answered and pushed her, "Go."

"Fine. Fine! I am going." Gabriella said and got off of her chair.

"Take as much time as you need." Anna whispered as Gabriella passed her.

The Spanish brunette walked through the sand on the beach over to her house, holding her Martini. She took a sip. "What are you doing here?" she asked him as she slowly reached him. "How did you find me?"

Troy turned around. He didn't expect her to be at her neighbour's house. She changed. In only six weeks she had changed. She cut her hair. She cut her dark brown locks. She cut them shorter. A lot shorter. But she still looked amazing. She still looked confident and beautiful. Especially in that white summer dress. She looked like an angel. His lost angel.

"It took me some time to find you, but I did." Troy answered calmly.

"What do you want?"

"I want to apologize."

"Don't."

"Why not?"

"Because it doesn't change anything, Troy." Gabriella said and sat down on her porch swing. "I don't want you to apologize for who you are. You just aren't capable of having a relationship no matter how much you want it. You can't be faithfull, because every woman throws herself at you. You shouldn't try to justify something I already saw coming." Gabriella answered.

"What?" he asked her confused. "Look, I had this all figured out. I was going to drive up here and apologize. I had this all figured out. I have a speech and I... How can you just... I mean what about..."

"Just leave me in Santa Barbara and go back to Los Angeles. Go back to where you belong."

"No. Stop talking this bullshit. I came here to make you understand that you are..."

Gabriella shook her head, "You don't love me, Troy. You have never loved me. Just face it. We are not meant to be. In more than just one prespective."

"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked her confused and angry, because he didn't seem to understand her.

"Let's go inside. I don't want the neighbours to hear us quarreling." Gabriella said and walked inside her house with Troy closely following her. She switched on the lights and saw him clearly. He didn't change a bit. He was still hot, although he seemed lifeless. His hair was messed up, his crystal blue eyes were filled with sorrow. He missed something. He missed someone.

Gabriella looked happy in his eyes. She looked as if she was better then when she had been with him. She looked calm... And good. The new cut suited her.

"I had a miscarriage. So nothing keeps us together anymore. You can go back to Los Angeles. I quit my job in order to make it easier for you to find a replacement for me. I sent in some candidates for the position. I hope you decided for Sarah. She was my favorite anyway..." Gabriella stopped talking as she saw the shock in his eyes. "What? Are you shocked because I-"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Oh come on, Troy! We were only together because of the child I had been expecting. But I am not anymore so you're free to leave. Nothing holds you back. Go back to your life. Just like I will go back to mine once this conversation has ended."

Troy was speechless. Speechless because of Gabriella's repartee. "Why are you trying to ignore the feelings you have for me?"

"The feelings I _had_ for you. I don't want to think about it, okay? We're over. And don't worry, it's not because I caught you cheating. It just made it easier." she lied into his face.

"Gabriella..."

"Don't give me that look, Troy." Gabriella begged him and brushed through her locks.

He was finally getting to her.

"Look, I have to go." she said and turned around.

"No you don't." he said and grabbed her arm. "I am sorry for cheating on you."

"That's not gonna change anything." she said and shrugged, "That's not gonna make me wanna trust you. It's not gonna make me wanna love you again."

"But it makes you think about us." Troy said into her eyes.

"No it doesn't. I don't want to think about us, because I don't want to feel the pain. I expected you to cheat on me. I really did. What I didn't expect was _this pain_. This unbearable pain I felt. Because guess what, Troy Bolton? I really loved you. With all my heart. And as hard it was for me to give into you... As painfull it was to feel rejected." Gabriella said and swallowed down the tears. "I don't want to go through this pain again. You have no idea how much pain you've caused. You have-"

"I still love you, Gabriella."

"No you don't. You're a liar."

"No I am not. Not when it comes to you, Gabriella. I love you."

"Then why?" she asked him, feeling the tears rolling down her face, "_Why_ did you cheat on me? _Why_ did you put me under so much stress, that it caused a miscarriage? Do you even know what that means? _How_ it feels to experience a miscarriage? How painfull that is? _Why_ did you have to put me through so much pain and make me still love you?" she yelled at him. "_Why_ are you doing this to me, huh? _Why_ are you playing with me like I am some bimbo you've met at a club? I thought you loved me, Troy. I thought you cared. I thought you _wanted_ us to work out. But guess I was wrong."

"No, you're not. I love you." he said into her watery eyes.

"Leave me alone. I am better off without you."

"No you're not. You need me. Just like I need you."

"No I don't. I adjusted just fine. Look, I found new friends, I have new colleauges, I have a job _I really_ love. I am fine without you, believe it or not: Not everything is about Troy Bolton. You didn't change my life."

"But you changed mine."

"Oh I doubt it. All I changed was your behaviour for five months."

"Stop arguing with me and just agree." he said and grinned.

"Stop doing that to me!" she said and looked away.

"What?"

"That freaking look you give me! That freaking look which you give every woman, to make sure she falls for you. That freaking charming look along with a million dollar smile. Stop flirting with me like I am som-" his lips on hers kept her from talking. His perfect soft lips crashing against hers made her forget about everything around them. That mouth was what she had been missing the past month. Those lips were everything she had craved for.

"You can't do that to me." Gabriella said into his eyes.

"Do what?"

"You can't make me fall for you again. I need to be independent. I have to go my own way." she said, getting lost in his eyes.

"Okay..." he agreed, not losing eye contact.

"Okay..." she echoed him, with her eyes on his lips. _Oh fuck you independency_, she thought before she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him again. He returned her kiss and stroke through her dark brown curls. He missed her lips... Her locks... He missed everything about her. As they made out, Gabriella started to open his jeans. Troy grinned against her lips as he kicked his jeans away. Then he helped her getting out of the white dress she wore and he started to kiss her neck. She moaned softly as she felt his lips on her neck. How much she had missed this...

"You call that independency?" Troy asked her breathlessly as they were laying in her bedroom, both starring at the celling.

"Oh shut up!" she said and hit him softly. "I missed the sex."

"Oh so that's all?" he asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes." the brunette lied.

He nodded, "And it had absolutely nothing to do with my amazing-"

"Look, what do you want to hear from me, Troy? That I forgive you and forget what happened between us?" she said and lifted herself.

Troy looked to the right side, straight into her face. "No. But I'd like to know that you don't hate me."

"I don't hate you, Troy. I've never hated you." she answered into his eyes.

He was silent and got lost in her eyes.

"But that doesn't mean I'm gonna come back to you. I am fine without you. I got used to be without you." Gabriella answered and looked at the celling again. "You should go."

"Gabriella..."

"Don't Gabriella me. You should go, because..." she stopped.

"Because?"

Gabriella turned over and looked at him, "Because you are hurting me."

He nodded, "Right..." he agreed and got up.

Gabriella eyeballed him as he grabed his clothes from the floor and got dressed. That would be the last time they see each other. The last time they would be together. This would be the bitter sweet end.

"Troy?" she asked him as he put on his shirt.

"Yes?"

"You're gonna find someone who understands you just the way you are. Someone who will love you because you are who you are. Someone you don't knock up accidently."

He nodded, "Don't make it harder than it already is." he mumbled as he left her bedroom.

Gabriella layed in her bed, unable to move. This was it. Their "relationship" just ended. Officially.

Troy stood for a second in the doorframe of the front door, hoping that she would come after him. But Gabriella wasn't that kind of woman. She means what she says. She sticks to her words. She was a strong woman. And she didn't deserve a cheater like him.

With a sigh, he closed the door behind himself and left Santa Barbara for good. He had just lost the most important fight. The fight for her.

* * *

><p><strong>A new chapter. Hope you enjoyed it.<strong>

**Please review.**

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	22. Did your dreams come true?

**Chapter 22: Did your dreams come true?**

_Eight years later:_

Gabriella became the most desired producer of Sony Music Entertaiment. In the last couple of years she wrote nothing but number 1 singles and number 1 albums. She was at the top of her carreer. Gabriella had even two Grammys standing in her living room.

Although she was one of the most asked producers of the United States, Gabriella managed to stay out of the spotlight as much as possible. That's why the paparazzi hunted her as soon as they saw her. Which made it only more difficult to hide her secrets.

She had everything she ever wished for. She was doing something she loved and she had many great friends. But she didn't have a boyfriend. Sure, she had been on dates. Some were good, other's were a disaster. But she kept on dating, kept on looking for the right one... But she didn't have any luck.

Troy was still at Wilson's records. He still worked late nights. It was like he hid behind his work. Although he was still the world's most desirable bachelor, he couldn't settle. He couldn't choose one woman he wanted to be with. Because truth to be told, he compared them all to Gabriella. How cheesy that may sound, but Gabriella was still on his mind. He couldn't find a replacement for her. No one was like her.

"Okay, so your plane heads off at 7 p.m. ." Sarah said and handed Troy his ticket, "You're staying at The Plaza. Your usual." she said, "Your passport is in your bag." she added, "Oh and your coffee, of course." she said and handed him his everyday Starbucks coffee.

"Thanks." he said and smiled softly. Gabriella had been right; Sarah was the right choice for this job. She was not only Gabriella's favorite; she was Troy's as well. "You're doing a good job, Sarah."

The blonde looked surprised at him, "Thanks." She didn't expect him to complement her. She wasn't used to the nice side of him. He rarely had been nice in the last years.

"Take the two weeks off while I am in New York. Go some place nice and enjoy a really good vacation. You deserve it." he said with a smile on his lips and continued walking to the elevator.

"Uhm, thanks..." Sarah mumbled. This just surprised and confused her at the same time.

"Hey brother!" Ashley cried and Troy turned around. "You thought you could sneak out without saying goodbye to me?" she asked him as she had reached him.

"Well I could try..." he said and hugged his sister.

"Have a nice trip, Troy."

"Don't burn the office while I am gone."

"Oh come on, that never happened!" she said and rolled her eyes. "See ya in two weeks."

"See ya." he said and walked into the elevator.

"Gabriella!" the brunette heard her name and turned around. It was Brianna. She had just recently started here and was still like a lost poppet in this huge building. She was only 20 and she tended to freak out very easily.

"What's up, Brie?" she asked the brunette with icy blue eyes.

"Well how am I suppose to deal with Rihanna, Kei$ha, Ellie, Beyonc-"

"You will deal with them. You just have to take a deep breath and tell yourself that they are normal human beings. You can do this, Brie. You can surive two weeks without me. You will be fine."

"But what about-"

"If something bothers you, then just give me a call. I'm only one phone call away. Besides it's not like I am at the other end of the world. I'm only two weeks in New York. Then I'll be here for you for another three weeks, before I have to go to New York again. Don't bother to ask Amanda for help as well."

"But she's not you!"

"You'll do fine." Gabriella said with one hand on Brianna's shoulder. "You'll do fine."

"Okay..." Brie answered and nodded, "Have a safe trip."

"Thanks."

Troy was at the LAX Airport, checking in with only a one luggage. As always the airport was filled with Paparazzi, tourists and celebrities getting chased by the paparazzi.

"Mr. Bolton, how nice to see you again..." the woman behind the desk said with a flirty smile on her lips. "Same as always?" Her name was Caroline.

Troy returned her smile and nodded as he scanned the area around him.

"There you go." the woman said and handed him his boarding pass. "Have a nice flight."

Troy grabed his boarding pass and walked away, making sure the Paparazzi didn't spot him.

"Gabriella!" "Over here, Gabriella!" he heard them screaming and froze. She was here. _Was_ she here? He turned around and saw over 30 paparazzi taking picture of someone they called Gabriella. The woman kept trying to make her way through them and eventually passed them, walking to the check-in he had just left.

It was her.

"Miss Montez, haven't seen you in a while..." the woman behind the desk answered, Caroline.

"Yeah, well I tend to make as little trips as possible. Don't like the paparazzi."

"Oh aren't you living in the Hollywood Hills then? I thought you would..."

"No, I live in New York. With less paparazzi, I can asure you..." the brunette said with a soft smile on her lips.

"Have a safe flight." Caroline answered and handed her her boarding pass.

Troy sat in his seat on the window, in the first class section. He was reading New York Times, trying to forget who he just saw. He felt shocked. Shocked that only one second of looking at her could roll out his feelings for her. The feelings he tried to ignore so badly.

Gabriella was late and as always she was the last first class attending to run on board. She had lost track of time as she was flirting with a Spanish man at the bar. She run into the plane and quickly searched for her seat number. 4A was her seat. It was an asile seat.

Her seat was on the left as she finally found him. A man was already sitting at the window, reading the New York Times. Gabriella put her purse in the loading space above her and sat on her seat. The man didn't even notice her. Instead, he turned the page.

"Troy?" Gabriella asked surprised as she saw the man's face.

The man looked to his right. Yeah, it was him. "Gabriella..." he said surprised. It was her. She was sitting next to him. After eight years he saw her again. Could talk to her again.

"Wow, it's been like what seven years since we saw each other? How have you been?" she asked him as he lay the newspaper beside him.

"Good. What about you? Did your dreams come true?"

Of course her dreams came true. He made sure they all came true. He made sure she got a job as a producer, he made sure she got good artists... He made sure.

The brunette nodded, "I got everything I ever wished for." she said and smiled, "What about you?"

"The same's for me." he lied into her chocolate brown eyes.

"You haven't change a bit, Troy Bolton." she said as she eyeballed him. "Eight years passed and you're still like you are when we met."

"Well you have." he said and returned her smile. "You got more mature."

"You mean old and wrinkly."

He laughed, "No I mean mature."

Gabriella giggled softly, "Whatever, Bolton."

"You look happy. You look like you have found your place in the world, Gabriella. You look mature."

Gabriella's smile faded, "No, I am still looking for my place in the world, Troy. I can't seem to find it."

"You will..." he asured her. "Someday you will wake up and now that this is the right place for you. You will find it."

"What about you?" she asked him carefully.

He shrugged, "I found the place where my body belongs to. But not my heart."

She nodded, "One day you will... So, how long are you staying in New York?"

"Two weeks. I have some meetings with the chiefs. What about you?"

"A couple of days. My boss wants to see me as well. I hope he won't fire me, although I doubt that he would. Then I have to visit... Personal stuff." she said and stopped talking.

"Do you have to visit your boyfriend?" he asked her, interested in her answer. He was hoping for a simple no.

The brunette shook her head, "No, I don't have a boyfriend. But I have to visit someone there."

He nodded, clearly she didn't want to tell him. "Okay, you don't have to tell me."

She nodded and got out a magazine. She opened it and started to read what the magazine said.

He decided to do the same with his newspaper.

* * *

><p><strong>A new chapter! I hope you enjoyed this one :)<strong>

**Please review.**

**Xoxo Nic**


	23. I don't want you to interfere in our lif

**Chapter 23: I don't want you to interfere in our lifes**

The plane landed and Gabriella got her luggage - just like Troy. The JFK airport was filled with human beings. Some were about to leave New York, others just landed.

Gabriella brushed through her dark brown locks as she walked through the opaque glass doors with Troy next to her. She smiled as she saw the group waiting for her and waving like crazy.

Her head turned to Troy, "It was nice to see you again, Troy." she said with a soft smile on her lips.

He returned her smile but it dropped once he saw the group who was about to welcome Gabriella. A dark brown haired man with a red haired woman was standing there. Both had dark brown eyes. In front of them were two children. Both at the same age, about seven and a half. A girl and a boy. Both had sandy brown hair and icy blue eyes. The girl's hair was long and had many locks, while the guy's hair was straight and short. Both children were smiling like crazy, showing off their tooth spaces. They looked cute. They looked like...

Gabriella noticed Troy's eyes on the group which was meters away from them. She nodded at him, "Yes, they are yours." she said and left him standing alone and shocked in the crowd.

Troy felt lost and shocked at the same time. He got lost in the crowd, which surrounded him. But he was unable to move. Unable to say anything. Unable to react.

Gabriella walked over to the group which was waiting for her. Both seven year olds ran over to their mother and hugged her as if they haven't seen each other in ages. Which was true. They haven't seen each other in weeks.

"Hey you guys." Gabriella said as she felt four arms around her neck. She kissed both on their foreheads and hugged them back. "Shouldn't you guys be at school right now?"

"Emily broke my robot." the boy complained, grinning and changing the subject.

"I did not! Johny killed my Barbie!"

"I did not!" Johnathan said.

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did _toooo_!"

"Did **not**!"

"Did too!"

"Okay, you guys stop." Gabriella ordered with a warning look on her face, "Emily stop breaking your brother's robots. Johnathan stop killing Emily's Barbies. And don't think you guys can get away with not going to school just because you had to pick me up from the airport. You guys still have one week before your holidays." she said, "Hey you two. Did they just talked about Barbies and Robots?" she said to the couple in front of her and hugged them both. "How are you doing?"

Anna shrugged, "Was that Troy with you?"

Gabriella turned around and saw him looking lost in the crowd. "Yes."

"Anything other than a simple 'yes'?" Jack asked his friend.

"No. Let's go." Gabriella said, knowing that her children shouldn't hear her talking about their father since they think there is none. "Come on, guys. Let's go home." she said and got a hand of each little human. The whole group walked out to their car.

Troy watched them leave the airport. He watched the love of his life leave him again. He watched _his children_ leave with her. He watched his family leave him in front of his eyes.

And he was unable to do anything. He felt like a stone. He couldn't move. Couldn't feel. All he could do was breathe.

It was near midnight as Gabriella walked down the stairs of her town house on the Upper East Side. She yawned as she made her way to the kitchen. On her way she nearly fell over Emily's Barbie. "Jesus!" Gabriella cruised and picked the doll up. She smiled as she looked closer at it. It had lipstick all over. Gabriella's lipstick to be clear. She put the doll on the table and walked into the kitchen. The shining light signalized her that someone was already in the kitchen.

"Can't sleep?" she asked Anna who was sitting at the island, drinking a cup of milk.

The red haired woman shook her head, "Can't seem to find any sleep. Same's for you?"

Gabriella nodded and got herself a bottle of water from the refridgerator.

"So what was that with Troy earlier today?" Anna asked him.

Gabriella shrugged as she sat across her friend, "I met him on the plane. My seat was next to his. We got into talking. Not a very deep conversation, but yet it was our first conversation in almost eight years..." Gabriella trailled off.

"Did you finally tell him that he is the father of twins?"

She nodded, "That's why he looked so lost at the airport. He was shocked."

"Are you going to get into contact with him?"

The brunette shook her head, "If he wants to contact me, he will find a way. I've done what had to be done on my side. I told him. Although I rather kept it a secret."

"You couldn't have done that and you know it."

Gabriella nodded, "I know." she agreed.

"Well he's going to want to see them, you know."

"I doubt that. I don't think he wants to see them. I just completely pulled him out of his routined life." the brunette answered and brushed through his hair, "He's gonna find a way to get back to his life. He always found one. Even after we broke up."

Troy Bolton was walking up and down in his suite at the Plaza. He was a freaking father! A father of _two_ children! Of _twins_! He was the father of twins - two little human beings. Two seven year olds. A boy and a girl. Who looked a lot like him. A _lot_.

How was he suppose to deal with it? How could Gabriella didn't tell him? How could she lie into his face! She said she had a miscarriage! A miscarriage.

But she clearly gave birth to two children. _His _children! Two children with his DNA. His flesh and blood.

How was that-

His ringing cell phone interrupted his thoughts. He walked to his Blackberry and stared at the display. It was Ashley. His step sister.

He decided to pick it up.

"Hey, I was just wondering how you are. How the flight was and so on." Ashley's voice greeted him.

Troy Bolton stared out of the window. He was a Dad. Somewhere in this city, his children were living under one roof with his long lost love. Did she already had another man in her life? Maybe he was their Dad now.

"Troy? Hello?"

Troy snapped out of it, "Sorry. Yeah. I am fine." he lied. He was anything _but_ fine.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Ashley asked him worried. "Did you get fired?"

He shook his head, "No."

"That's good. I mean, that's... Good."

Silence on Troy's side made the blonde curious, "What happened, Troy?"

"Ashley, I was just told that I am the father of twins."

"What?" Ashley asked him shocked. "How... What... Why?"

"I met Gabriella on the plane."

"WHAT?"

"Her seat was next to mine. We talked. As in a normal conversation. Our first since seven or eight years. No, eight. I know it's eight..."

"What did you talk about?"

"Work. Opportunities... Life a little."

"Well that's... How does that make you feel?"

He shrugged and leaned against the french window of the room. Even though he was the shrink in the family, his sister managed to play the role of the shrink just fine. "It _made_ me _feel_. I felt happy for her. But sad for myself. I felt pain, but I hid it behind our famous Bolton smile..."

"Did you enjoy seeing her again? I mean, meeting her. You obviously saw every article and picture of her taken in the newspapers."

"Yes. I enjoyed talking to her again. Although it wasn't a very deep conversation. But on the other hand it only showed me more how much I miss her."

"Well maybe you should talk to her... Apologize for your behaviour... Or something."

"She does not want me to apologize."

"What _woman_ doesn't want the lovedones to apologize if he cheated on her?" Ashley asked him confused.

"She said that she didn't want me to apologize for who I am. Or rather was. She said it would be crazy of her to ask for an apology which is nonsense."

"I don't get it."

"She doesn't want me to change for her. Or didn't."

"She accepts you the way you are. She _loves_ you the way you are. She doesn't want you to change. Awwww, that's so romantic of her!"

"And stupid of me to didn't realize it just until now." Troy said, "I can't believe it took me eight years to figure this out. All that study on psychology was for nothing. I am a horrible shrink when it comes to myself."

"Why didn't you tell me earlier? As in seven years ago?"

"Eight. And I didn't tell you because it made absolutely no sense for me."

"So... What was that about fatherhood earlier?"

"Right. When we landed a group awaited eagerly for her. Among them were two adults and two kids. About seven."

"And that means...?"

"When she bowed out, she told me that those children were mine."

"WHAT?"

"You should have seen them. They look like me. It was like looking into the mirror, Ash. They freaking look like!"

"Hold on a second... You're the father of twins? As in... _Two_ children?"

"I guess so. I mean there's no doubt that these are mine. The boy has my ears and the girl definitely has my cheekbones. Other than that they share my haircolor _and_ eyecolor."

"And we both know that your eyecolor is kind of unqiue..." Ashley said, still sounding shocked. "But how come we never saw pictures of them? I mean, there are always picture of Gabriella. Just her. No children. No baby bump. Nothing."

"Well she must've done a good job at hiding them from the world and me. No one knew."

"You're a father. A real father. But I mean that's what you wanted, right? Being a father."

Troy stroke through his hair, "Well I wanted it as soon as Gabriella told me that she was pregnant back in... Long time ago. But I wasn't ready to be a father. I still don't think I am ready to be a Dad. To be responsible for two children. Two lifes."

"But you grew up Troy. Over those eight years, you've gotten a lot more mature. I mean, of course you still flirt but... Well, you grew. I know it because I was there the whole way... So, what are you going to do next?"

Troy shrugged, "I guess we will have to talk..."

"Call her."

"It's eleven in the night, Ashley."

"So what? Call her. I bet she can't sleep either."

Gabriella's ringing cellphone interrupted the silence. She got up and walked into the corridor, to get it out of her purse.

"Who the hell calls you at eleven in the night?" Anna asked her as Gabriella walked back.

Gabriella glanced at the display, "Told you he would contact me."

"It's _Troy_?"

Gabriella nodded.

"But why does he call in the middle of the night?"

"Because he can't sleep. And he knows that I can't sleep either. Or feels. Some twisted connection we have, I know." she said before she picked it up and walked into the winter garden. "Hello?"

"How could you keep a secret so big for me?" he nearly yelled into the phone.

"Well for one, because I can. And for-"

"I don't care! You should have told me, Gabriella! I am a freaking father! I had been for seven years and-"

"seven and a half." Gabriella interrupted him.

"Fine, seven and a half years! But the fact is you should have told me! I was wandering around without even spending one though on the possibility that _I_ could be a _father_! A freaking father, Gabriella! Do you freaking know what that means? _How_ could you not tell me?" he yelled at her.

Gabriella held the phone a few inches from her ear, because this was way too loud for her. "Are you done with the yelling?" she simply asked him.

"Yes."

"Good. Now you listen to me: I didn't tell you because there was no freaking need! You were never going to be the father those children need. What father cheated on his girlfriend while she was pregnant? What father doesn't..." she stopped and took a deep breath, "You don't deserve to know that there are children from you."

"WHAT?"

"We are doing fine without you. I am a single mother and happy. Don't worry about our financial status. We are doing just fine. They are both at a _very_ good school."

"School?" he asked her surprised. He didn't even think about school yet. That didn't even cross his mind.

Right, he didn't know. "They are very smart for their age. They both go in the 4th class." she explained, "My point being, I don't want you to interfere in our lifes. We are fine without you, Troy. And we are going to be fine in the future." she said and hung up.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you like this new chapter.<strong>

**Please review.**

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	24. My very own flesh and blood

**Chapter 24: My very own flesh and blood**

Gabriella walked down the streets of New York City in the early morning. The sun had rosen up already and the city was more than awake by now. The Spanish woman held a cup of Starbucks coffee in her hand and a bagel in the other. She loved New York in the early morning. In the time most paparazzi were still asleep. She hated them. But New York had less paparazzi than California, which was good. Good for Emily and Johnathan. That's why she had sent them to Boarding school here in New York. To Trinity Boarding School. She found sending them to a Boarding school would make life easier for them. That way the Paparazzi and interviews - well the whole media - wouldn't get a hand on them. She didn't want them to grow up like Suri Cruiz. Every second recorded by paparazzi. No, she definitely wanted to protect them from a future like this. They would soon enough see what the real world of their mother is like.

With a glance to her right side and left, Gabriella crossed the street and took one last bite of her bagel, before she threw it away along with the empty cup of Starbucks coffee. Then she entered the building in front of her.

Troy slowly got up from his bed, without having any hour of sleep last night. He still couldn't believe it. He was a Dad. A real _Dad_.The dark blonde man washed his face, brushed his teeth and combed his hair. With a yawn he walked out of the bathroom from his suite and got needed to talk to her again. He needed to see her once more. He needed her to listen to him. He needed her to explain her unbelievable behaviour over the last - was it seven and a half years? And of course he needed to see them. Meet them. His children. His own flesh and blood. Gosh, he was a father! A _real_ how was that possible? She had a miscarriage. At least that's what she told him. She told him she had a miscarriage. Yes, that's what she said - he remembered that clearly. Maybe she lied. Maybe she had lied to him. Told him one simple maybe those weren't even his children and she just confused him with someone else. Maybe... No, that thought was ridiculous. Why would she tell him that those were his, if they weren't? No they were his children. They looked like him. Even from far away he saw the similarities. They _were_ his children. He was the father of two seven and a half year olds.

Gabriella entered the room of her boss and sat across him as she saw him talking on the phone.

"Alright, Charles. I'll call you back in a few." he said and hang up, "Gabriella, nice to see you again."

"Good morning Anthony." the brunette said and smiled.

"So you're probably wondering why we called you in."

"Yes. Well, I hope I am not here because you want to fire me."

Tony laughed, "No! We'd be nuts if we fired you. You're the best song writer and producer we've had in ages." he said and laughed once more. "The reason's is another one."

He remained silent.

"Well, what's the reason?"

"Well your partner isn't here so..."

"Partner?" she asked him confused.

"We want to combine Sony Music Entertaiment with Wilson's records."

Gabriella's mouth fell open, but she quickly closed it. "Sounds like a good idea. But why?"

"Because then we will have more financial backup."

The brunette nodded, "So what was that about a partner?"

A knock on the door appeared, "Yes." Tony said and the door opened. "Welcome your partner."

Gabriella turned around and nearly fell from the chair. Her new partner had been her old partner. She couldn't believe her eyes. No, this was not happening to her! Not _now_! Her new partner turned out to be Troy Bolton.

"Mr. Bolton. Take a seat." Tony said to Troy as he stepped in.

Troy sat next to Gabriella. Without exchanging words or a glance. Both humans reacted professionally.

"What we thought was to combine Wilson's records with Sony Music Entertaiment. Therefore we need the best of the best, who are you two. Troy we'd like you to be the head of this new project which we call GT. Gabriella, you will be the head producer and song writer. You have to make sure everything runs smoothly in your department. Of course there will be a lot more than just you two, but you get the idea."

Troy nodded, "Of course. But it seems like you have planned this for quite a while now."

Tony smiled, "For about seven years now. We all wanted to see how everything and everyone developed before we made a finale decision. And since we already saw how well you guys worked together, we decided to put you two together again."

"And where do you want to open GT?" Gabriella spoke for the first time since Troy entered the room.

"We were thinking of Santa Barbara. We want the building which we use for SME right now, to be the office for GT."

Gabriella nodded, "The West Coast..."

"Is that a problem for you two?"

"No, I live in Los Angeles anyway. No problem for me." Troy answered.

"And you Gabriella?"

She shook her head, "No, not a problem. Absolutely fine with me."

Troy glanced at her worried. What was up with that woman?

"Good." Tony answered and nodded, "Well we were thinking of opening it in four weeks."

"Four weeks? That's a little fast, don't you think?" Gabriella asked him surprised. That would mean she had to leave New York in at least two weeks. So much to the week she had promised Em and John to spend with them. One week in the Bahamas. Goodbye much longed for vacation. Goodbye sun and beach... Goodbye playing in the sand with the children.

"Is there a problem, Gabriella?" Tony asked her, worried now.

The brunette shook her head, "No, no problem. Everything's fine."

"Good." he said and looked over to Troy, "Your plane will leave in two weeks."

Both nodded and agreed with a simple "Okay." and left the office.

Gabriella went through her planner in her mind. So no vacation. But she could spend some quality time with the twins here in New York. Or she could fly to the Bahamas for a couple of days. She just had to make sure she'd get a plane with... No she just had to ask Matthew if he wanted to go a week earlier. And he probably would. Therefore she had an empty plane, playmates for her twins _and_ her male best friend in the Bahamas. Yeah, that sounded like a good plan. She just had to get going now.

"Gabriella, can we talk?" Troy asked the brunette.

She looked at him, "No." she said simply and walked to the elevator.

"What do you mean 'no'? I have a right to talk to you. Especially under this kind of circumstances."

"Look, I am busy enough right now. That _union_ of both of our workplace just threw all my plans in the trash. I have to reorganize everything. I didn't expect this. I didn't expect us to work together again. I didn't expect that I'd be working from Santa Barbara mainly now!" she cruised and brushed through her dark brown locks as the elevator doors opened and she stepped in. "I am a _little_ busy right now. So pardon me saying no to having a little chit-chat with you, Troy." the brunette snapped at him.

Troy remained silent. She definitely was mature. More mature than the last time he had seen her. "I don't care." he finally said. "You need to explain to me why you haven't told me all those years that there are children walking around with my very own flesh and blood. I deserve to know the truth!" he said to her in the empty elevator.

The brunette sighed, knowing that she had to give in, "Fine. Where are you staying?"

"The Plaza. In the junior suite."

The brunette laughed, "Of course... The suite." she said and walked out of the elevator. "I'll be there in a couple of hours. Around two." she said and walked out of the building to catch herself a cab.

Troy stood in the hallways of the building, watching her leaving him. Something about her changed. She wasn't so insecure anymore. She didn't give into him anymore. She learned how to control herself. She was more stressed. She was busier than seven years ago. Maybe it was because of the children. Perhaps it was because of them.

* * *

><p><strong>New chapter :)<strong>

**Please review.**

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	25. I don't want my children to have the sam

**Chapter 25: I don't want my children to have the same future**

Gabriella had no luck catching a cab, so she decided to walk. She grabbed her cellphone and started to dial Matthew's number.

After the third rang he picked up, "Hi Gabs."

"Hi Matt. How are you?"

"Busy, but good. You know how chaotic it can be when the Nanny's not around."

Gabriella laughed, yeah she knew how chaotic children could be. Let alone four children. "Listen, are you still in for our vacation trip to the Bahamas?" she asked him as she crossed the street.

"All in. What's on your mind?"

"I was thinking about maybe moving it up... For a week?"

Matt laughed, "You just can't wait to lay in the sun..."

"No... Well, yes. What I mean is, I just got out of the meeting with my boss."

"Oh. Anything bad?"

The brunette shrugged, "Depends, I guess."

"Why? What did he say? He didn't _fire_ you, did he?"

"No! Gosh, I'd be devasted then." she said and moved along with the New Yorker crowd, "He wants to unite SME and Wilson's records. Therefore he needs a new head for this project and someone who will lead the production/song writing section. Who would be me."

"And the other part?"

"Troy Bolton."

"Holy crap!" he cruised, "Seriously? Your ex? Honey, how are you?"

Gabriella shrugged again, "Been better."

"Was it awfull to see him again?"

"No, it was kinda nice. I mean, I haven't seen him in seven years..."

"Did he change a lot in your eyes?"

"A bit. Can't say his character's changed though."

"Did you tell him about Em and John?"

"Yes. He was shocked and obviously he wants me to explain this whole situation and stuff."

"Are you going to?"

"I'm going to go to his suite in the Plaza later. I don't think we should discuss something like that in some restaurant. Too dangerous for Gossip Girls, ya know?"

Matt nodded, "Right."

"Anyways, the new project is called GT and it will open in three weeks."

"Here in New York?"

"Try the East Coast. Santa Barbara."

"You have to go back! Damn it!" he cruised again, "That means more plying between New York and California."

"And I thought that this would finally come to an end..."

"Why don't you get the kids out of Trinity then?"

"And put them where? A public school near Los Angeles? That would be pure terror for them."

"Right. But how about... Harvard Westlake? Private Boarding school in North Hollywood."

"North Hollywood? I don't know..."

"Or the Thacher School. I heard good stuff about both schools."

"I don't know. I'll think about it. I guess, I have to."

"I mean both are now at the end of the 4th grade, Gabs. You'd probably get them into a better school anyway."

The brunette brushed through her hair, "Anyways, when are you ready to head off to the Bahamas?"

"In eight days. Noon. If that's okay with you. I need a good vacation right now."

Gabriella smiled, "Good. See you at your place at around 5 p.m. then." she said and hung up.

Gabriella stopped in front of a huge building and opened the door. She walked through the empty hallway and opened another door. The room was filled with an enourmously strong voice.

_Remember my name (FAME!) _

_I'm gonna live forever _

_I'm gonna learn how to fly (HIGH!) _

_I feel it comin' together _

_People see me and cry (FAME!) _

_I'm gonna make it to heaven _

_Light up the sky like a flame (FAME!) _

_I'm gonna live forever _

_Baby remember my name_

The brunette smiled as she watched the rehearsals on the stage. There were about 25 human beings on stage giving everything they had just to please the director, Sharpay Evans. The blonde best friend was sitting in one of the many dark red seats and watched them closely, seeing every mistake they made, hearing every note they didn't hit right. The premiere was in only a couple of hours. In 14 hours to be exact. They already had to memorize everything by now. It was their last rehearsal. And still there were mistakes to be made. Mistakes, which Sharpay wouldn't allow.

"Okay!" Sharpay yelled and clapped into her hands, "Take a break. Grab a bite to eat and we'll see each other in fifteen." No "Good job, guys.", no "You did alright." - no Sharpay wasn't the kind of person who would throw complements on them. Not while they were still rehearsing.

Gabriella walked down the steps and over to her best friend. She hugged her, "How are you?" she asked her best friend.

"What are you doing here? I though you'd be at the Bahamas right now."

Gabriella shook her head, "I won't miss the premiere of my best friend's musical, now would I?"

Sharpay hugged her again, "How are Em and John?"

Gabriella smiled, "As always. They're fine. Listen, I'm just here to tell you that I will leave for the Bahamas in eight days with Matt and his kids. You still remember Matt, right? The charming man you can not get your eyes off."

Sharpay grinned, "He _is_ very charming..."

"Would you like to come along? I mean, Sandra could make sure everything ran smoothly. It would only be a week though."

"I thought you wanted to go for two weeks."

"No, something came in between."

"What came in between?"

"Life. I have to work from Santa Barbara again. My boss wants to unite SME and WR."

"WHAT? What about Troy?"

"Well he and I will be the new bosses of the project, Tony calls TG."

"Did you met him today then?"

The brunette nodded, "Met him yesterday on the plane. Our seats were next to each other."

"Seriously? Did he change?"

The brunette shrugged, "No not really. I mean he still looks the same. He's still hot. And his character's still... He is still himself."

"What a great beginn for the week."

"Yeah, tell me about it."

"Did you tell him about the twins?"

Gabriella nodded.

"How did he react?"

"Shocked. Then angry. Now he's just confussed. He wants to talk to me. He wants me to explain why I did what I did and blah blah blah."

"Will you talk to him?"

"I don't have another choice."

"Did Em and John already met him?"

"No and they probably won't. I don't want him to interfere in our lifes. We're doing fine."

Sharpay nodded, "What about their school? Are you going to get them out of Trinity?"

"Well not in the next couple of years... Matt said that there's a good school in North Hollywood. Harvard Westlake or so."

"Send them there then."

"I don't know... They have so many great friends at Trinity. I don't like ripping them out of their enviroment. It's not healthy."

"But a mother who is only there when they have holidays is." Sharpay answered, giving her a look.

"Look, I am trying to do my best here. I don't want them to be followed by paparazzi like I am. I don't want them to be in the spotlight at the age of seven and a half. I mean look how Madonna's child acts around! I don't want my kids to have the same future."

"But sooner or later they gonna have to be confronted with the media."

"Well then better later than sooner." Gabriella said and looked at her watch.

"Are they home right now?" she asked her.

Gabriella shook her head, "No. Their holidays start in a week. They just picked me up at the airport yesterday."

"That means Troy already saw them, right?"

Gabriella nodded, "That's when I told him. If he hadn't seen them, then I wouldn't have told him."

"You know that you had to tell him someday."

"I know. That's what Anna said."

"Oh how are Anna and Jack?"

"Good. Still childless. They have some problems with the reproduction..."

Sharpay nodded, "If it's meant to be then they will have children..."

* * *

><p><strong>A new chapter, everyone!<strong>

**Sorry for the long wait, but school's getting in between everything lately.**

**The next chapter will be full of emotions, I promise.**

**Please review.**

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	26. The label Bolton

**Chapter 26: The label Bolton**

Gabriella found herself in the corridors of the Plaza hotel. She was in front of the junior suite, unable to knock. It was 4:15 p.m. And she was unsure whether or not this is a good decision. All she knew was that she had to knock. She _had_ to talk to him. So she knocked.

The door opened only seconds after she knocked. She stepped in the suite and sat down on the couch. He had changed. He wore a light blue oxford shirt with dark blue jeans. His hair was gelled up. He looked like he was about to go somewhere. Or maybe he just came from another meeting. He looked good. _Hot_ even. He looked just like eight years ago. He looked like time hasn't left any remarks on him. He didn't change. Not on the outside.

"Would you like to have something to drink?" Troy offered her.

Gabriella shook her head, "No thanks. Let's just get this over with."

"Excuse me?" he asked her shocked as he walked over to her.

"Look, I am here to answer your questions. But I don't have all the time in the world to answer them. I have a life."

"And you're telling me I don't?" he snapped at her, "Because appearently, I have a life beside _this_ one. I should have a life as a father, which sounds absolutely ridiculous if you ask me!" he said in a good voice.

"Good, if it sounds so ridiculous to you then I should better leave." Gabriella said and got up.

"No! I let you go once, I'm not doing this again." he warned her and pointed at the seat, "You. Sit. Down." he ordered.

"Guess I was wrong about you not changing..." she mumbled under her breath.

"How the hell is this even possible? You told me you've had a miscarriage! How could you lie to-"

"Lie? I did not lie to you!" Gabriella yelled back at him. "I told you nothing but the truth! I _had_ a miscarriage! You have _no _ideapainfull that was! How_ it _feels like when you feel that this life you carried dies! I had a miscarriage because you broke me apart! The stress you've put me under was too much for me. Plus, at the same night I got a call from the hospital, asking me to identify my mother's lynch! She died in a car accident! A freaking car accident." Gabriella said, taking a deep breath, "I did not lie to you, Troy."

"Then how-"

"We had sex that night. And one time is enough to create a life. In this case two lifes. You should know that. I mean, it's not like it didn't happen before."

Troy was speechless.

"No more questions?" she asked him and brushed through her dark brown locks. Then the brunette got up and walked over to the window.

His eyes followed every step she took. Saw every moment she made, noticed how hard it was to breath...

Silence filled the room for minutes. Silence because neither of them had something to share. Both felt shattered from the words which had been exchanged.

"What are their names?"

"Emily and Johnathan. Well, Emily Alexandra and Johnathan Daniel." she answered, staring out of the window. It was a nice view. Probably the best of Manhattan.

"When were they born?"

"21rst of July in 2004. Johnathan is one minute and ten seconds older than Emily, although Emily's much more mature. As usually girls are." she explained.

He nodded. "What have you told them about there father?"

"There is none. I left him." she answered cool.

"Don't you think it's a little harsh to tell that seven year olds?" he asked and Gabriella's head turned around.

"Seven and a half and no I don't think it's too harsh. Are you here to critize my educational methods?" she snapped at him, with fierceness in her voice.

"You could told them at least that their father's Troy Bolton."

"And then what? Expect them to understand that the name Bolton is some kind of label, which opens doors for you, doors you didn't even know they existed?" she said to him. "Then the paparazzi would eat them alive. And it's hard enough for me to keep them out of the spotlight. Paparazzi catch us once in a while and it's crazy. Both of them end up crying when we are at home because of the stress which they caused them.

Now imagine how horrible it would be if they knew that those are Troy Bolton's children. There would be hundrets of paparazzi chasing after us. Hundrets!

That's why I sent them to private boarding school. A school which only has 15 maximum students per class. I try very hard to protect them from the crazy reality. I don't want them to turn out like the drug taking Britney back in 2003."

"But they are doing fine. I mean, at school."

Gabriella nodded, "They are little genuises. That's why they will be attending the 4th class this summer. At the age of seven and a half."

"Have you ever considered taking them to a school which specialize in those kind of children?"

Gabriella shook her head, "I did consider it as soon as the headmaster told me about their intelligence. But that would only make them more extraordinary than they already are. I am afraid that they will be seen as some kind of freaks. You know how tough Middle School is, let alone High School."

"Why did you choose New York?"

"Because it offers the best boarding school in whole America. And I want to offer them the best. They deserve the best. That's why I moved." Gabriella answered his question, unable to look him into his eyes.

"Why don't you look me in the eyes, Gabriella?" he asked her slowly.

She looked up, straight into his eyes. "Better?"

"Don't act like I am your boss." he said, "I am not your boss anymore. We're on the same level now. Things have changed."

"Things have not changed, Troy. Nothing has changed between us."

"Oh so you call sharing two children together, nothing?" he fought back.

"That's not what I meant. I mean for us. We... Nothing changed." she said following with a shrug and looked away again.

The man stroke through his brown hair and sighed. "You didn't answer my question. You're avoiding me."

"I am not avoiding you."

"Yes you are."

"I am not."

"You are because otherwise you would have already... You have been avoiding me since we broke up."

"And that's so unnatural, because...?" she asked him.

"Guess time didn't heal your wounds."

"But it certainly healed your's." she answered back.

"Could you stop being so sarcastic?"

"There." she said, staring into his eyes. "Now you can look at my brown eyes as long as you want."

"It's pointless to have a conversation with you." he said into her face. "You're acting like a 17-year old teenager rebelling against her parents."

"What? How dare you! _I_ am acting like a 17-year old?"

"Yes." he answered in a cool voice.

"This is unbelievable! You have _no_ idea what I have been through. You have _no_ idea how hard it was for me to force myself to get here!"

"Then _why_ can't you talk to me? _Why_ can't you look at me, like you did before?"

The brunette shrugged, "I just can't look you in the eyes."

"Why?" he asked in a soft, understanding voice.

"Because it reminds me of the time we had together." She said, feeling the tears forming in her eyes, she never talked about this. In eight years she had never talked about Troy. She talked about her children and how amazing it was to be a mother, but she never mentioned their father. Never again - until recently. "It reminds me how much I loved you and how much I hate you because you hurt me. I hate that part of you. And looking into your eyes... It reminds me how much I enjoyed the time with you and it reminds me how hard it was for me to get you out of my head. Especially when our children were born. I see you in them everytime I look at them. All I can see in them is you. All I can think of is you." Gabriella said, swallowing her tears before she looked at him. "You wanted to know why I can't look at you? Because loving you is killing me. Because you wrecked me, Troy. Congratula-" Gabriella got cut off by Troy's lips crashing on hers. She felt his hands caressing her cheek. She missed his hand on her cheek. She missed his soft lips. She missed his smell in her nose. She missed everything about him.

"Why did you do that?" she asked him confused.

"Because I felt like it." he said smiling.

"No, you don't get away with that! I am making myself a completely fool by confessing my still existing love for you, while you just think to get away with a simple 'I felt like it'? I deserve more than that, Troy. But if you can't give me more-" Another kiss interrupted her from talking. Another soft, but yet passionate kiss.

"Because I still love you." he said into her eyes, fondeling her cheek. "I haven't had a serious relationship in seven years. I couldn't even think of a relationship after we broke up. I kept comparing every women I went out with, with you. I kept telling myself she isn't you. I kept telling myself that she isn't anywhere near you. I couldn't let another woman in. Because I still love you. I fell in love with you when I first met you and I haven't fallen out of love ever since."

"Then why didn't you contact me? In all those years, you could have."

"You said you never wanted to see me again. You wanted me to leave you. And I sacrificed my pain to make sure you are happy. I made sure you have a solid career."

"_That_ was you?" she asked him surprised, "You wrote Anthony the letter of recommendation? You were the one who sent all those artists to me?"

He nodded, "I kept an eye on you."

"How dare you! How dare you mess up my life after I told you not to!" she yelled at him.

"Oh so you call a career, messing up your life?"

"That's not the point, Troy! That isn't the point! My point is, you shouldn't be in my life! We freaking broke up! And the next thing you decide to do is, making sure I have all the super duper singers?"

"Yes!"

"I didn't need them! I thought I did this on my own! I thought, my career was doing so good, because of _me_! But it was all _you!_ You did this! You gave the career, I thought I earned! Nothing I did contribute to my career, because it was all **you**! No song I wrote, no technique I teached, no melody I edited was for my career. Because you were behind this. Behind all of this!" she yelled, now ever angrier than before. "I wanted to do this on my own! I needed my independency! Without _**you**__! _I thought I could do something without Troy Bolton messing with me! I got you out of my head and I broke up with you, knowing that I would _never ever_ see you again! But freaking fate and freaking you has to mess up my freaking life and plans!"

"Well I-"

"meant well? Guess what, I don't care! I don't care that you meant well! I freaking don't even know what I am doing here!" the brunette said and brushed through her locks. "This was a horrible, horrible idea."

"Gabriella-"

"No! You don't get to say _anything_! You messed up enough. As always, I'm gonna be the one who gets to clean up." she said and walked to the door.

"Don't leave yet." he said, grabbing her left arm.

"Why? Because you don't want to be left alone with your bad conscience? You can live with guilt and pain. Look at me, I am still alive." she snapped at him and freed her arm.

"Gabriella,-"

"We ended it, Troy. Let's keep it this way." she said in a slow, soft voice.

"Please..." he begged her. "You owe me this conversation. You owe me to meet them. I am their _father_!"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"So don't walk away from me. Give me a chance. A real chance." he said, starring into her eyes.

The brunette sighed, "Fine." Suddenly she felt herself getting lost in those crystal blue eyes. Those beautiful, beautiful blue eyes..."What questions do you have?"

"How did you hide your pregnancy from... Well basically, everyone. I mean you hid it from the press, television, award shows... Everyone."

"Well, as soon as I found out about my pregnancy I took everything a little slower. I worked in the studio until I was about 20 weeks pregnant. No one but Anthony knew about my pregnancy. I told him to not tell anyone, if he wanted to keep me. And yes, I already had the status that I could threaten Anthony. I was good enough. Good enough because of you, now I know that. Then I worked from my home office. I wrote mainly songs and did paper work. I barely went out. In those months, I wrote the best songs in my whole career. In those months... I made sure I didn't have a miscarriage again." she said into his crystal blue eyes.

"But why haven't you told me?"

"I couldn't." she said with a shrug, "I couldn't turn your world upside down. You didn't deserve to be tied to one woman. You would have cheated on me again. You are not the kind of man who just loves one woman. Women are your opium." she said and shrugged. "I couldn't take your opium. I wasn't entitled to do so."

Troy searched in her eyes for lies. But there were none. She actually believed what she just told him. "Remember what you said to me the last time we saw each other?"

Gabriella shrugged, "I said a lot that night. Some I regret saying, some I regret not saying. I said too much to remember everything."

"You told me that I would find someone who understands me just the way I am. Someone who will love me because I am who I am."

"You remember?" she asked him surprised.

He nodded, "What you didn't consider was that I may already found that someone. No one understands why I am the way I am. No one loves me because I am who I am. No one but you. No one but you, Gabriella Montez. You understand why I cheated on you. Heck, you didn't even want me to apologize for it. You said that you didn't want me to apologize for who I am. For who I was. You said that there was no sense in apologizing for something you already saw coming. And truth to be told, I wasn't going to apologize for my actions." he paused. "I was going to apologize for the pain which I caused you. I could only know how heartbroken you were. Because I was as well. I had been at that point, at which you were at that time. My heart got broken as well. And from that moment on I couldn't let anyone in. Anyone but you Gabriella. And I couldn't forgive myself for breaking your heart. Breaking the heart I cared most for."

Gabriella felt the tears forming in her eyes, "Don't do this to me." she begged him.

"Gabriella..."

"No." she said and got up, "I told you not to interfere in our lifes. I begged you not to. I knew this would end like this." she said, waving with her hands.

"Like what?" he asked her, getting up himself.

"Nothing." she said shaking her head. "Absolutely nothing. Forget it." she mumbled and made her way out.

"Gabriella!" he said in a warning tone.

The brunette stopped and turned around. "Troy, please..."

"Stay." he said simply.

The brunette shook her head, "I can't."

"Please. Stay. With me." he begged her, "Drink a cup of tea. I'm begging you, don't leave me like this. Not again."

Gabriella sighed as she stared into his crystal blue eyes, "One cup." she said and walked back.

"Thank you." he said as he walked into the open kitchen.

She followed him, "What else do you want to know?"

Troy thought a couple of seconds, "To which school do they attend?"

"Trinity school."

"That's a good school." he said nodding as he put water into the electric kettle.

"It's the best." she agreed and sat down on the island.

"Do you have pictures? I mean, I only saw them from a distance..." he asked her slowly as he watched her sitting on the island

"Sure." Gabriella said and got out her wallet. She opened it and got out a picture of them, which was only taken a couple of months ago. It showed both children smiling at the camera, while the ocean was in the background. It was taken in Santa Barbara - in their Easter break. Both children looked like Troy when he was their age.

"They really look like me..." Troy said amazed. "It must've been hard to raise them on your own."

"I mean, I had friends. They helped me a lot. But they can only help til a certain point. I was the one who had to drive them to the hospital when they got sick. I woke up when one twin was crying in the night. Just as one twin fell asleep, the other one started crying. The first months weren't easy for me. Definitely not easy. But I managed them. Somehow."

"So that's why you weren't at the red carpets in the last couple of years. That's why you were partically invisible to the media. You worked in the background."

"I mean, I was at about three events." she defended herself.

"But they were charity events. You were at the three events, I couldn't go because I was sick. Every time I got sick, you showed up at an event. I wanted to see you at least one time in those eight years. That's why I went to _every single_ red carpet event, hoping you'd show up. But I didn't have any luck. And those _three_ times I was sick, you went to an event. It was like karma got it all back at me."

The brunette smiled softly, "So that's why you were so present in the media... And I thought you were hooking up with one woman after another."

"I'm not gonna lie to you by saying I did not sleep with women. Of course I did. I flirted at those events, I distracted myself. I got drunk at a couple of times. I drowned my sorrow in alcohol..."

"I know. I got the newspapers with the headlines full of you. Every single newspaper, every single magazine wrote about you. Each blog had their eyes on you."

"Did you... Like, I mean..."

"Of course I kept an eye on you, Troy. Of course I was worried about you. I was worried about what the father of my children was doing. If he was getting into another fight at _Area_ or if he was caught making out with another model. I didn't do this because I wanted you. I did this because I wanted to make sure you moved on. But all I saw was your miserable self walking from one club to another. Hooking up with one bimbo after another." she said with a shrug, "So I stoped looking. I stoped caring. I shut my feelings for you off. Instead of concentraning my enegery on you, I put it into work and my children. While the twins were sleeping, I got out the guitar and started to write songs. These songs turned into albums. Those albums turned out to be all number one hits. Was I proud of it? Proud that my pain was turned out to be loved by every single citizen of the U.S.? I certainly wasn't. I wasn't proud that songs of you, were winning awards. I got two Emmys. Two Emmys for my pain. I got magazine requests, wanting to talk to me about my success and personal life. But I never ever had an interview. Not because I wasn't confident enough, but because of _our_ history. If the media would find out what had happen between us, they would never ever leave us alone. They would make their lifes a living hell. And I don't want that. They can chase me, like they do when I work in California, but they are not going to have the twins."

He was silent and looked away. She sacrificed so much for their children. Nothing was above them. Especially not her own happiness. She would do anything to protect them. Anything to make sure they don't get hurt. That's why she did not tell anyone, but her closest friends. She chose her friends with care. She was carefull with giving her heart away, because it got shattered the last time. Shattered into a million sharp pieces. And sometimes she cut herself with the sharp edges. Each time she thought of him, she felt those sharp pieces in her heart.

He scanned her, now really understanding why she was so mature. She had to be mature. She had to at least pretend to be strong. She needed to be strong for her children. For their children.

"Stop looking at me like that." Gabriella answered with tears forming in her eyes.

"Like what?"

"Like you are sorry. Like you... Like I did something wrong." she answered. "Because I didn't. I chose to not tell you about them. I _chose_ to be in this position. So don't judge me because... Don't look at me like that."

"I am not mad at you."

"Oh hell you aren't!" she said and looked out at the window again.

"Gabriella..." he said and fondled her cheeks.

She looked straight back into his crystal blue eyes.

"I am not mad at you, Gabs."

She blushed at the sound of her nickname. "I don't get you, Troy. You make me insecure. And I don't need that insecurity. Not now."

"I am not mad at you. But instead, I feel pity. It must've been incredibly hard for you in those eight years. You sacrifced _so_ much for our children. You would even sacrifce your own happiness for them. They are your priority. But you forgot yourself, Gabriella. When was the last time you did something for you?"

"Troy..." she said, sighing. "I do something for me. It's not like I am unhappy with my situation. I-"

"This is not what I am saying. It's not my intention to tell you what to do. I'm just saying that you should do something for you. Have a spa weekend. Go out on dates. Have a ladies night out. Just do something."

"I tried it all, okay? I tried the spa things, the ladies nights... The dates. But it didn't work, okay? I mean, yes it did make me feel something. But it didn't make me feel happy on the long run, Troy. Because my happiness ended. It ended the night I caught you cheating on me. It ended the night we slept together. Because as much as I want you, as much I know that I shouldn't be with you. Because you were no good to me, Troy."

"Gabriella..."

"It's true and you know it. You know it."

"I changed. Just like you, I got more mature. We changed. We now know what we want and what we need. But unlike you, I want and need the same." he said into her eyes.

"Please..."

"I want you. I wanted you back then and I still need you now. Because you complete me. You are the light to my soul."

"Thanks for quoting one of my song's lyrics. Very clever." the brunette said and rolled her eyes.

"Be serious."

The brunette looked at him, "I can't! I can't be serious with you!"

He remained silent and stared at the floor. She was never going to let him in again. He knew that now. He had lost this fight eight years ago. And there was no way he would get the chance to turn back time.

"Do you... Do you regret what we had?" he asked her slowly as soon as he could look up to her.

She shook her head immediately. "No. Because if we hadn't met, I would never have those amazing children. I didn't know what I'd do without them." she said smiling. "Keep that picture. You should have at least one picture. One picture of your children."

He smiled, "I remember you once told me that you were afraid of motherhood, afraid to be not good enough."

"And I still am. Everyday I ask myself if I am good enough for those children. If I am doing everything I am capable of. I still have those self doubts. But I look at them and they are forgotten. Because those eyes say more than enough. They tell me that I am doing okay so far, that I am trying to do the best I can. I am doing everything I can to give them a decent life. I am doing everything in my power to be a good mother for my two angels." she said and stroke through her locks, "And I still don't feel good enough to deserve them."

She felt her strength cracking. She felt the tears rolling down her cheeks. She felt how she was giving in. She felt how she got weaker. She felt a rush of emotions going through her at once. Anger. Joy. Pain. Regret. Lust. Disappointment.

Troy almost felt her pain. She was broken. He broke her. "You _are_ good enough for them, Gabriella." he ensured her and wiped away her tears with his thumbs.

"Then why the hell do I feel so lonely?" she asked him, sobbing. "I have everything I ever wanted. I have a job I love. I have children, whom I am incredibly greatfull for. I have friends, friendships which are stonger than I could have ever imagined. And I still feel alone!" she said into his face. "I have everything I ever desired for. Everything but you. You broke me, Troy."

Troy's eyes stared at her back with hurt in them.

"You broke me and as much as I tried to fix myself, I couldn't. As much as I tried to replace you, I couldn't. I searched for a replacement, I really did. You wouldn't believe on how many dates I had been in the last couple of years. But everytime I felt something towards a guy, I knew it wasn't like it should be. I knew it wasn't anywhere near the feelings I have for you. But I couldn't find someone like you. Because you broke me and you're the only one who can fix me again. The only one."

He hugged her and ignored the ring of the electric kettle. He hugged her, embracing her petite body. He enjoyed having her in his arms again after all those years. He enjoyed being so close to her again. He _needed_ to be close to her again. He hoped to make her feel better. He hoped to make her forget the pain he'd caused her.

Gabriella sobbed into his light blue oxford shirt. She cried until she had no more tears to share any more. She cried until she felt better. Cried in the arms of the love of her life. Cried in the arms of the man she wished to be with all those years. Of the man who she wished had been with her. To be with Emily when Johnathan was sick, to make sure Emily doesn't get sick. The one who'd drive Emily to the hospital because of a simple fever...

He held her in his arms. He was her shoulder to cry on. He finally was her shoulder to cry on again. He finally was there again. She let him be there for her. She let him be a part of her life, or at least she gave him this very minute to be with her. He needed her. He missed her. He missed holding her. He missed making her laugh, making her smile, blush... But most of all he missed being there for her.

Gabriella looked at him, "I am sorry for ruining your shirt." she apologized and wiped away the tears. "I am sorry for just losing control like this." she added and turned around to leave, "Staying was a bad idea."

"Gabriella, " he said and grabbed her arm, "don't go. I need you... To stay with me." he said in a low voice.

But she had heard him. She turned around, "I begged you to not do this."

"What?" he asked her confused.

"You're making me fall in love with you all over. It's not enough for you that I am still broken and wrecked after our relationship. No, you have to make me fall in love with you again." she said into his eyes with tears falling down her cheeks. "I don't want to fall in love with you. I don't want to fall in love, because I know that I will have to force myself to fall _out of love_ again. And I don't want to have to do this again. It cost so much energy last time. So I am begging you, don't do this to me. Don't make me wanna love you again, if you break my heart anyways. I have children to take care of. Our children. They don't need a heartbroken mother. Not again. They..." she stopped, realizing that there were cracks in Troy's crystal blue eyes. She was hurting him. "Troy. Please."

He nodded knowing that he had to be the responsible one, "Go. I've caused you enough pain. You don't need me. I've realized that. And I am willing to live with that. Just like I have in those eight years. Who am I to take your independency. You mean too much to me that I would do anything to hurt you. Not again."

She walked slowly over to him. Everything happened in slow-motion. And then she kissed him passionatly. She needed him. She had needed him in those seven years. More than ever she needed him now. "I don't want you to let me go. I don't want you to sacrifice yourself for my happiness. But your will to do it shows me that you love me. That you loved me back then. That you left me because you loved me. I thought you left me because you've found another woman. A woman who is a better match than I am. But I didn't want you to leave me. Not back then and not now. I wanted you to fight for me. I wanted you to want me." she said and stroke through his sandy brown hair. Then she placed her forhead against his and inhaled his scent.

"How was I suppose to know that?" he asked her simply as he breathed in her scent. The scent he had missed so much. The scent he had longed for...

"You just are." she said opening in her eyes, looking straight into his.

He got lost in her eyes. He got lost and kissed her. He missed everything about her. From her voice to her lips. Every cell of his body missed every cell of hers. He needed her. He had needed her back then and he would make sure she wouldn't leave him this time.

Gabriella kissed him back and allowed herself to lose control. For the first time in seven years she allowed herself to lose control. She allowed herself to lose control because she knew she was safe. Safe in his arms. Safe because he was there to catch her.

Troy hugged her again, not ever wanting to let her go. "I'm never going to let you go, Gabriella. Not again." he whispered into her ear as she placed her chin on his shoulder.

"I've missed so much, Troy." she said, hugging him tighter. "I've missed you too much."

"Me, too... Me too, Gabs." he whispered and looked into her eyes. "There never was another woman in my life after you. You are all I want. You are all I need. You are everything. Everything." he said and hugged the petite brunette again.

Gabriella inhaled his scent and closed her eyes, "I love you."

"I love you, too." he whispered back, not ready to let her go yet.

Gabriella smiled, "The water for our tea is getting cold..."

"I don't care about the stupid water. All I care about is you."

The Spanish woman looked into his eyes, "You realize that once you're in this relationship again, I won't let you out so easily."

Troy smiled, "I don't think I want you to let me out." he said before he kissed her.

Gabriella enjoyed this sweet kiss, letting go completely. She let his tongue play with hers. She let him fondle her cheek. She let him do whatever he wanted. Because she trusted again. She trusted him.

But soon the sweet kisses turned into passionate ones. Soon the joy to see each other again got replaced by pure lust for each other. Gabriella felt his hand slowly gliding down her body and stoping at her jeans. Within a second he had the jeans open and Gabriella kicked them aside, without even once letting go of his lips.

Troy stoped kissing her and looked into her eyes, "Do you think we're rushing it?"

She smiled, "No. We're not rushing it... Although we might should it take slow."

"I just don't want to wake up one day without you by my side."

Gabriella responded with a soft, playfull kiss, "You won't. I promise you, you won't." she ensured him with another kiss.

"Good, because otherwise you'd get into a lot of trouble." he said and picked her up to carry her into his bedroom.

Gabriella giggled, "You are crazy."

"Mhm..." he agreed with her as he placed her on his king sized bed, "Crazy for you." he added before he kissed her again.

She pulled him closer to her and on the bed. They continued kissing and undressing at the same time. As if they were afraid of losing each other again. As if they didn't have enough time to be together, when they had all time in the world. Soon all of their clothes were on the floor or next to them, but they didn't care. All they cared for was for each other. All they cared for was this moment.

"I'm glad some things haven't changed." Gabriella said smiling as she draw circles on Troy's perfect chest.

Troy stroke through her dark brown locks, "Yeah, me too." he agreed with her.

Gabriella turned around to look at him. He seemed to worry about something. "What's that worried look on your face?"

"It's nothing."

"It's not nothing if it's bothering you. Come on, tell me all about it." she said and lifted herself from him.

"All mother-like." he said and smiled.

Gabriella rolled her eyes, "No changing the subject, Mr."

"I was just wondering how Emily and Johnathan would react if they saw me..."

"If?" she asked him, "You mean _when_ they see you. Well, I obviously need to have a little chit-chat with them before they will see you. I have to explain them... Well everything. Of course I'm going to let the parts which aren't suitable for people under 18 out. But you get the idea."

"What if they don't want me as their father?"

"Whether they want you or not is not for debatte, Troy. This is not how family works. You _are_ their father. Whether they like it or not, they _have_ to accept _you as their father_. And you will always be their father, no matter what. You will have a say in moving schools or what breakfast to make, as much as I have a say in it right now. Because you are going to be an active parent. Just like I am for them right now. Of course it's gonna be a big change for them. And it's going to be a little difficult in the beginning, but they have to get used to getting a father. Because that's how it usually works. You get a mother _and_ a father when you get born." she explained to him.

"You've gotten really good at this." he said impressed.

"Well I've had seven and a half years to practice my sustaining speech. A mother needs to give sustaining speeches. That's one of the first things I had to learn. Oh and to always have band-aids with you." she said and laughed, "You wouldn't believe how many times those two fell on the ground." she answered and let herself fall on the pillow.

Troy's finger slowly moved down her back, "There are absolutely no signs which show that you are the mother of twins."

"Oh no there are." Gabriella said and turned around. She pointed at one strech mark on her hip. "There is one sign." she said, "And there is another one." she said, pointing a little more right this time.

Troy smiled and shook his head, "You can't even see those strech marks. You had two children. Not one, Gabi. It's normal to have strech marks, especially with twins. Besides, they're particular invisible."

"They are visible to me." she insisted.

He scanned her and shook his head before he kissed her, "You are perfect. With or without your strech marks."

She got lost in his passionate kisses and pulled him closer to her. She missed this closeness _so_ badly.

He stopped kissing her and looked into her eyes. Getting lost in the warm chocolate brown color.

"What?" she asked him breathlessly.

"I missed this closeness. I missed kissing your lips. I missed feeling your body pressed against mine. I missed your dark brown locks. I missed your smile. I missed-" Gabriella interrupted him with a simple kiss.

"I missed you, too." she said simply and stroke through his sandy brown hair.

* * *

><p><strong>A new chapter :)<strong>

**I am quite pleased with how it turned out.**

**Please review to tell me what you think of this chapter.**

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	27. When are you going to tell them?

**Chapter 27: When are you going to tell them?**

_Six days later:_

It felt like no time has passed. Their relationship continued where it ended once. But unlike last time, this time it was much more ordinary. Although the circustance were a bit extraordinary, both human beings seem to take it well. Because they both were ready for anything. Anything as long as the other partner was next to them.

The bathroom around them was filled with an uncounable amount of white lighted candles in every size you could think of. A nice scent of roses filled the room and soft instrumental music was playing. In the bathtube were white and dark red rose pedals swimming in the hot foamy water, making the bath more than an unforgetable experience.

Gabriella leaned against Troy's strong chest, letting her body rest against his. "Mhm... This feels so good."

Troy fondled her shoulder, letting the warm water drop slowly on her perfect tanned skin. He enjoyed being with her again. He enjoyed actually being with her - not in his dreams. Yes, he had dreamt about her. A lot. Seven years long to be exact. He kissed her shoulder and embraced her with one arm around her thorax. He never wanted to let her go. His dream which became finally reality.

Gabriella felt his lips on her right ear and giggled, "Seriously."

"Seriously." he echoed her and kissed her neck.

"What about taking it slow?" she asked him as she felt his kisses near her mouth.

"I can take it slow..." he answered between his kisses. "I can take it incredible slow."

"We are taking it slower than that." she said, although his kisses turned her on. "We're starting fresh."

"And starting fresh means no sex in the bathtube because?" he asked her as he kissed her neck.

"Because we started with sex last time and it didn't go very well."

Gabriella turned around in the bathtube and stared into his eyes.

"What?" he asked her in a whisper tone with a smile on his face.

"I just can't believe I'm really sharing one bathtube with you right now." she said to him, smiling.

He returned her smile and brushed a dark brown lock from her face, before he placed his lips softly on hers. "Me neither."

Gabriella returned his kiss and leaned with her back against his strong chest.

He stroke through her dark brown locks, "When are you going to tell them?"

She shrugged, "I don't know yet. All I know is that I have to get them out of school tomorrow and drive over to the Hamptons."

"Do you live there? In the Hamptons." he asked her. Appearently, her job was paying off well.

The brunette shook her head, "No. I live on the Upper East Side. I have a townhouse."

"Why are you driving to the Hamptons then?" he asked her and she turned over, so she could lean onto him.

"I have to visit Matt Carter. He's one of my oldest friends. We know each other since college, but lost contact after we graduated. Four years ago we reconnected as I sent Emily and Johnathan to Trinity. His children are there as well. And he is a single parent, too. Our children hit off pretty well. They're best friends. He has two girls and one boy. Joanna, Andrea and Stephen." she started to explain, "We're going to fly to the Bahamas tomorrow. We spend our vacation together since four years. That way our children don't get bored and we have some time to relax. A Nanny makes sure they are fine, if we want to get a massage or go scuba diving or something. It's totally safe."

"You're in the Bahamas. With _another_ man." he noticed and raised an eyebrow.

"Don't raise an eyebrow on me. I'm doing nothing illegal here." she said, "Don't get jealous. I don't need your jealousy on my mind. I have enough to think about already." she said and fondled his cheek. "We're just friends."

"In one hotel... Or are you taking a suite together?"

Gabriella shrugged. She didn't want him to get jealous, but at the same time she did not want to lie to him, "We usually take a bungalow with six to seven beds."

"You in a bungalow with _another_ single parent. A male single parent."

"Look, it's not a big deal. It may seem a big deal to you now, but we've been doing this for years now. We're used to each other. There are _no feelings attached_. No romantical feelings. He cares for me and I care for him, but not on a romantical level. We're just friends."

"Just friends. You're sharing a bed with your 'just friend'?"

"Please. Just stop, Troy." she begged him. "Besides, Sharpay lay her eyes on him. She likes him and he likes her as well. Although they haven't been on a date yet, they seem to be attracted to each other. He likes another woman. _Another_ woman." she said and stroke through his hair. "Besides, I love you. Only you." she said and kissed him softly.

"I am still not okay with that idea..." he said into her eyes.

Gabriella glanced at him, "Fine, then you're not. But I am going anyways. I promised them. Emily and Johnathan are _so excited_ to go. And I won't take that away from them. No, I won't disappoint them."

Troy looked away and sighed, "I guess there's nothing I can do about it to change it." he said and felt her hand on his.

She lanced her fingers with his and smiled.

"What?" he asked her, not knowing what that smile meant.

"You want to change the situation? I think I just got an idea." Gabriella said smiling.

"I am all ears." he said and leaned forward.

"Let Sharpay and Matt have their long awaited date. In fact, let them date as much as they want for at least one week. They can travel all around the world while we will be at the Bahamas..."

"What about the kids?"

"Matt owes me big time, since I saved him from Miss Perkins last week. That woman with about 3 black teeths and only two 'healthy' yellows, asked him out. She's a teacher at Trinity. I saved him by telling her that we had something planned at the 'parent get together'. He still ows me for saving him from that woman. That 65 year old woman is beyond gross. Luckily, she won't be teaching at the school anymore. The headmaster kicked her out because a couple of parents were complaining about her teaching methods."

"He owes you." Troy said nodding.

Gabriella brushed through her locks. "But I'm not sure how the twins will take it. Going on vacation without their best friends... I have to ask them about that tomorrow when I pick them up. They will probably want to stay with Matt then." Gabriella said, unsure whether her idea had a future... A future with the father of her children in it.

Gabriella stood in front of her car as she saw the gates of Trinity opening. Lots of students stormed out of the campus, straight into their parents' arms or straight into their buttler's/nanny's arms. Middle School students, Upper School students... Every student, but not Gabriella's children.

She heard them laughing far away from her. Then she heard them fighting about who's sitting on the passenger seat. And then she heard them mocking each other. Yes, definitely her children. No doubt.

"You won't!" Johnathan said to his little sister.

"Oh I so will! You were in front the last time!" she argued with her brother. "Just because you're older does not mean-"

"It means exactly that, Emily. Face it: the older one has always the better choice."

"No, because I am way faster than you!" Emily said and started to run into Gabriella's arms.

"Hi gorgeous." she said as she catched Emily, "How was your last day of school?" Gabriella asked her daughter as she hugged her. Seconds later Johnathan reached them as well.

"I get to sit on the passenger seat today. I was faster." Emily said, sticking out her tongue at Johnathan.

"Emily!" Gabriella warned them and rolled her eyes.

"Sorry, Mom." she said and looked at her again. "My day was fine. I didn't get into trouble." she said, looking at Johnathan.

"You said you wouldn't tell!"

"I am your sister, stop believing what I say." Emily said and let go of Gabriella's embrace.

"Johny, what did you do?"

"Nothing!"

"Johnathan Dan-" Gabriella warned him.

"Fine! I asked Susanne to sit with me for lunch. But she said no."

"She dumped you. I told you she's out of your league. She likes _older_ boys."

"Oh shut-"

"Johnathan!" Gabriella warned him with her finger pointing at him.

"Close your mouth, Emily. Otherwise Eric will never notice you."

Emily blushed, "You're _so_ mean!"

"You told Mom about Susanne."

"No, I didn't. You just did, stupid." Emily said and rolled her eyes, "Can't we just get going?"

Gabriella smiled. Their first crush. She remembered her first crush in Elementary School... His name was Brian and he was very cute. He had those dark brown locks and piercy green eyes... If only he had noticed her. He ignored her completely. Such a disappointment to her. No matter how hard she tried, he never noticed her. Not once did he look at her.

"Can't you be _a little bit_ more impatient?" Johnathan asked her. And rolled his eyes. Suddenly his eyes met someone elses. A man stood at the other side of the street, all alone wearing a oxford shirt and a dark blue jeans. He looked at Johnathan. And Johnathan glanced back at the man. He had sandy brown hair and crystal blue eyes. Just like Johny.

"Get in, Emily." Gabriella said and made sure Emily was well seated in the passenger seat.

"I can do this by myself. I am not four anymore." Emily said, rolling her eyes.

"Okay, fine..." Gabriella said smiling.

"Hey mom?" Johnathan asked her.

Gabriella kneeed down, "What, honey?"

"Who's that man over there?" Johny asked her and pointed to the man who was watching them.

Gabriella turned around, "Who?"

"He's gone. There was a man..."

"There _is_ no man, Johny. You must've..." Gabriella stopped, realizing that he probably was right. "Let's get into the car."

As she watched her children getting into her car, she felt his presence. She felt his eyes on her back, watching every movement she was doing. She knew he was there. Of course he was there.

* * *

><p><strong>A short chapter, but I hope you like it.<strong>

**Review to tell me what you think.**

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	28. I could wait a lifetime for you

**Chapter 28: I could wait a lifetime for you**

"Mom, are Joanna and Andrea already home?" Emily asked her mother as she drove into the driveway of the Carter mansion.

Gabriella shrugged, "I guess we'll see."

"What about Stephen?" Johny asked from the back.

"We'll see about that as well." Gabriella answered. "Listen, what do you guys think about spending a week here with Matt, Joanna, Andrea, Stephen and Sharpay?"

"Sharpay's cool! We always get to play dress up with her." Emily said smiling. "And she let's me eat as many candies as I want."

Johnathan rolled his eyes, "Great way of telling that, Emily. Now we _used_ to eat as many candies as we wanted."

Gabriella smiled, yeah Johnathan knew her pretty well. "Would you guys be cool with that?"

Johny nodded, "They have a pool."

"You could invite Susanne over. I know she lives just around the corner." Gabriella mocked him.

"Mom...!" Johnathan cried.

"Okay, okay... I was just suggesting. What about Eric, Emily?"

"Mom please!" Emily cried.

"Alright, fine... Got the message." Gabriella said grinning.

"Thank you, Mom." they both said in a choir.

"So you guys would be fine with staying with them?" she asked them.

Both humans nodded, "We're fine with it."

"But are you flying to the Bahamas all by yourself then, Mom?" Johny asked her concerned.

"No. I have someone with me. Don't worry about your mother. That's not your job." Gabriella said as she parked her car. "Alright, everybody out!" she ordered loudly and heard the doors closing seconds later.

Gabriella got her purse out of her trunk and started to dial a number on her cell as she entered the Carter mansion.

"We're at the pool!" both of her children yelled at the same time.

"Matt?" Gabriella called as she smelled the delicious scents which were in the air.

"Kitchen!" he yelled back.

Gabriella walked into the open kitchen and pressed the green button on her phone.

She kissed him on the cheek. "Hi."

"Who are you calling?"

"Troy." Gabriella said simply, as if calling her off and on boyfriend, the father of her children, was suddenly normal.

He nodded, "Sharpay will be here in a couple of minutes."

"What'cha cooking?" she asked him as she pressed her phone on her right ear.

"Pasta with shrimps, garlic bread and I just finished the juice." Matt answered as he swung the shirmps in the pan.

He picked up after the third ring.

"How dare you stalk our kids." Gabriella said giggeling as she left the room for a little more privacy. "Johnathan saw you."

"What did he say?" Troy asked her on the otherside of the line.

Gabriella stopped in front of the french windows in the winter garden of the mansion, looking over Johnathan and Emily who were already in the pool along with Andrea, Joanna and Stephen. "He wondered who you were."

"And? What did you say?"

"I told him he must've misseen. I'm gonna explain it to them later today, though. After dinner."

"Are you already at the Hamptons?"

"Yeah. Matt's cooking. He is a professional cook, you know. Kind of like the American Jamie Oliver. He's pretty good. Has lots of restaurants all over the world."

"I know who Matt Cater is, honey." Troy answered and Gabriella imagined him smiling.

"I know you are smiling right now. Why are you smiling?" she asked him and smiled herself.

"I've been to a couple of restaurants over the years..."

"And did you like the food?"

"He's a really good cook."

"So you don't worry about him poisining our children with shrimps and pasta and garlic bread and orange juice?"

"No, I don't waste a single thought on that..." he said and Gabriella heard the door opening.

"Anybody home?" she heard Sharpay crying.

"Kitchen!" Matt yelled.

"Winter garden!" Gabriella yelled.

"Great, you couldn't be at once place?" Sharpay yelled at them and kicked off her shoes.

"I've got to hang up..." Gabriella said grinning. "I'll see you tonight at the airport."

"Now don't you forget that we have a plane to catch." he said before he hung up.

Gabriella grinned, hung up herself and looked up to see Sharpay standing in the door frame.

"Who did you call?"

"I thought you'd be heading to the kitchen instead of the winter garden."

"Best friend comes over potential boyfriend." Sharpay said, looking suspicious. "Who did you call?"

"I am sorry for missing the premiere last night. Matt told me it was amazing."

"And I hope you have a damn good reason! The same damn good reason you have for making Matt and me and Maria babysit Johnthan, Emily, Andrea, Joanna and Stephen for one week."

"I think Maria can manage five children. After all, she's the Nanny."

"Not my point!"

"Hey, I finally got you guys a week so you can be _all_ by yourselves. You can go out. Have dates. Get to know each other better..."

"Your reason, Gabriella..." Sharpay said, rolling her eyes. "Although you are right. We'll have time to get to know each other a little better."

The Spanish brunette looked up, "Troy Bolton. There, good enough?" she said and stroke through her dark brown locks.

"What do you mean, _Troy__Bolton_?" she asked her best friend slowly and sat down on the couch in the winter garden. "What happened between you guys? Or rather, what _did__not_ happen between you guys?"

Gabriella took a seat next to her best friend, "Look, I told him everything. Explained why I didn't tell him. Explained why I sent them to Trinity and all that stuff."

"Yeah and? I mean, how did he react?"

Gabriella shrugged, "He accepted it. Respected my decision."

Sharpay stared at her, "He respected your decision. Very mature." she said nodding, "What did he want to know?"

"The obvious. Names, pictures, birthdates, which school they attend... If I regret our relationship..."

Sharpay's mouth fell open, "And what did you say?"

"No."

"No?"

"No. Because it's the truth. I don't regret my relationship with him because otherwise I would never have Emily and Johnathan."

Sharpay nodded, "So where do you guys stand now? I mean, are you going to let him see Johnathan and Emily?"

"Yes. I mean after all their his children as well. Besides, he changed."

"He has? I thought you thought he didn't."

"I was wrong." Gabriella said, looking out of the french windows, "He changed. A lot."

"What do you mean by that?"

"He made sure I have a solid career now." the brunette said smiling at her children, "He made sure I have a good life. He pulled every string possible in the background, making sure I never knew about his actions."

"What do you... What?" she asked her confused.

"He sent the artists I get to work with. He wrote those recommandation letters... He did that for me."

"But... _How_?"

"He's Troy Bolton." Gabriella said looking into her best friend's eyes, "And the name Bolton is basically like a label. It opens door of which you didn't even know they existed. The name Bolton means _a_ lot."

"Then why didn't you give Emily and Johnathan the name Bolton?"

"Because then they would be chased by the Paparazzi. And it's already hard enough for them..."

Sharpay nodded, understand what she meant. "So are you guys on again?"

Gabriella shrugged, "We'll figure this out in a week."

"Do you still love him?"

"I thought I didn't. But as soon as I saw him again I felt it. I still love him, Sharp. I missed him _so_ badly. More than words could describe." she said and stroke through her dark brown locks, "And he feels the same way. He kept an eye on me all those eight years. Making sure everything was alright. Career wise. I mean, he probably saw the Paparazzi shots when I was on dates. It must've hurt him, but he didn't interfere in my life - not visibly, I mean. He knew that I had to go my own way... I still love him and I couldn't forget him in those years." Gabriella said and looked away.

"How could you? Emily and Johnathan are basically portraits of him. They look a lot more like him then like you. They have his hair color, his eye color... Emily has his cheekbones and Johny has his ears."

"But they have my character. And a little bit of Troy's." Gabriella said smiling as she watched her children play outside.

"But they definitely got your brain."

"Not necessarily. Troy studied Music and psychology."

"So they got their ingeniousness from both of you. Of course they have to turn into total geniuses then." Sharpay said and rolled her eyes.

Gabriella looked at her best friend, "Do you think I'm making a mistake? I mean with giving us another shot..."

Sharpay shook her head, "No, absolutely not. If you still love him and he still loves you, then give it another shot. Just make sure you guys are solid or something before the twins see him. I mean, obviously they have to meet him at some point, but... I just don't want them to lose their father again. Or you to get shattered again. I know he had hurt you _very__badly_ the last time. Be carefull when you play with fire."

Gabriella nodded and hugged her. "I need to find out if we can reconnect again. If we have a future or if what we had was all that what was meant for us."

"Hey guys!" Gabriella yelled from the bench. Emily, Johnathan and Joanna were swimming in the pool while Andrea and Stephen were playing in the sun.

Both Montez heads turned into the direction they heard their mother.

"Get out of the water. I need to talk to you guys."

"I can't believe you got into trouble again..." Emily hissed at her older brother.

"_I_ didn't do anything! Not this time though." Johnathan answered as they got out of the water, "What about you, Miss innocent. Anything to confess?"

Emily shook her head, "Other than being prettier _and_ smarter then you, no." she mocked him as they reached their mother.

"Sit down." Gabriella ordered them both.

"Are we in trouble?" Emily asked her Mom.

"Because _I_ didn't do anything. It was all her! Whatever this is about, all her fault!" Johnathan said and pointed at his sister.

Gabriella laughed, "No you guys are not in trouble. If anyone is in trouble, then it would be me." Gabriella said smiling. "Johny remember that man you saw earlier?"

He nodded, "He looked familiar."

"What man?" Emily asked them.

"You guys know what I told you about your father?"

Both Montez kids nodded at the same time.

"Well it turns out your father is in the spotlight again. I met him yesterday as I walked to work. And-"

"Are you telling us that there's suddenly a father in the picture again?" Johnathan asked her, sounding serious. He never sounded this serious.

Gabriella was confused by her son's reaction. By his serious reaction. "Yes." she said simply. She didn't want to deny it. "What'cha think about that?" she asked them both slowly.

"We need to discuss that." Emily said and got off the bench.

Johnathan followed her and they stopped at the corner of the house.

Gabriella watched them talking, discussing this situation. They have _never_ discussed anything together. They are the opposite of each other. They fight more than they agree on something. This was odd. No, this was beyond odd.

But before Gabriella could spend another thought on it, her children walked back to her and sat next to her.

"We are okay with it." Both said at the same time.

"Okay... Do you want to meet him?"

Both Montez children looked at each other, then at her. "Yes."

Gabriella got confused with every second that past, "So do you want-"

"We'd like to at least try to be a family. If he makes you happy, of course. Because the three of us know that we are fine without him." It was Emily who announced those very mature words.

Gabriella nodded, "Good." she said now confused more than ever.

"Was that all?" Johnathan asked her.

Gabriella nodded and watched both children run to the pool again, before they jumped into it. _What_ had just happened here? How come that the oh so mature mother suddenly turned into a confused, immature mother? How come her children turned so mature in only a blink of an eye?

Troy Bolton was at the JFK Airport in New York, scanning the crowd for a familiar face. He liked New York a lot more than Los Angeles, mainly because of the little Paparazzi here. It made it incredibly easy to live in New York, without anyone knowing - or at least not _everyone_ knowing. The opposite case could be found in Los Angeles. All those years he had lived in the sunny city, he never could walk around unnoticed - let alone wait for another person at the airport.

The New Yorker crowd didn't care for the famous manager of Wilson's records. They didn't care that a celebrity was sitting between them. Some of course noticed him. Whispers like "Is that Troy Bolton? No, it can't be him!" weren't very frequent though. He liked that. Maybe he would consider to move to New York as well. Maybe Gabriella's choice to live in New York wasn't a bad one. Of course she's been pying for years now between Santa Barbara and Manhattan. But it was worth it. Their children were worth taking any hitch.

Troy looked at his watch. Their plane would lift of in only 10 minutes. She should be here by now. She _had_ to be here by now. Troy was almost sure that she didn't dump him. She promised him on the phone to make it on time. She _had_ promised.

The Spanish brunette appeared ten minutes later within a new rush of passengers. For him, Gabriella was the only one who he saw. The only who who mattered.

"I'm sorry, but the traffic was _horrible_!" she excused herself as she reached him.

_"Plane__7467__to__the__Bahamas__is__taking__off__now."_ they heard an employee announcing through the loud speakers.

"That was our plane." Troy pointed out.

Gabriella started to laugh. It was the only thing she felt like she could do. It felt good to be able to laugh again. To have something to laugh about. To have someone to laugh with. "I am sorry for keeping you waiting." she said after she calmed down.

He brushed through her dark brown locks, "I could wait a lifetime for you."

She kissed him softly, "So what do we do now?"

He shrugged, "Fly to somewhere else." he answered as he looked at the flight board, "There's a flight to the Turks and Caicos Islands which is boarding right now." he said grinning at the woman in his arms.

"Turks and Caicos Islands, you say?" she asked him and laced her fingers with his, "I think we should go then." she said smiling.

"You really wanna change the destinations? We haven't booked a suite, let alone thought it through." Troy asked her a little sceptical.

The Spanish brunette nodded grinning, "Come on, let's take a _risk_. Have fun. Besides, I thought the name _Bolton_ opens up doors. Let's see what's behind this door." she said before kissing him passionately.

The sound of a camera clicking, made it's way into Troy's ear. But he must already be paranoid. JFK was not the LAX. The New Yorkers didn't care about celebrities kissing in the terminal.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed reading it.<strong>

**Please review :)**

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	29. Are you happy?

**Chapter 29: Are you happy?**

The sun shine through the french windows of the bungalow on the beach. It was a beautiful day at the Turks and Caicos Islands. More than beautiful. Gabriella slowly opened her eyes. She saw the beauiful sun already reflecting in the turquoise ocean. The Spanish mother smiled. She was happy. With a smile on her face Gabriella turned around to see the second beautiful thing in the world. "You're awake." she said noticing, still smiling.

He leaned down and kissed her softly.

"Why didn't you wake me?" she asked him as she placed her head on his chest.

"Well I like to watch you sleep. You talk when you sleep." he said and grinned, "You talked back then and you're still talking in your sleep now."

"Really?" she asked him surprised, "No one's ever said that to me."

"Guess you only talk in your sleep when you share one bed with me then." he said and kissed her again.

"What did I say?"

He shrugged, "You babbled the whole night."

"Oh I'm sorry. You must've not had such a pleasant night."

He shook his head, "You babbled me to sleep. So don't worry about me not getting any sleep."

Gabriella smiled at him, "Nice to know that we complement each other."

"At least you don't snore anymore." Troy said, mocking her.

"I never used to snore!" she said hitting him lightly.

He nodded, "Oh yes you did."

She looked at him confused, "I did not." she insisted. "When?"

"For two weeks. You were about 8 weeks pregnant then. You snored a lot and horribly loud. And I had to leave the bed in order to get _any_ sleep."

"But I never..."

"You never noticed, because at the time you had to get up, I walked back."

Gabriella smiled, "Aw, you didn't want me to notice." she noticed touched.

"And you would have never known if I didn't tell you that just now." he said and got up.

"Hey!" Gabriella protested. "Who told you to get out of this cozy bed?" she asked him before she pulled him back.

She kissed him and brushed through his sandy brown hair. She let herself completely let go. Soon the shared kisses weren't sweet anymore, soon they were filled with more passion than the bungalow could handle.

Gabriella felt Troy's warm hand on body, sliding down to her hips. They continued playing with their tongues for minutes, forgetting the time which passed.

She let go of his lips and stared into his eyes. "I love you." she whispered to him.

"I love you, too." he whispred back and kissed her softly.

Gabriella continued staring into his eyes. Worrying if they had a future together. Or if this was all they were meant to be. Just a relationship based on sex. A relationship with no future. But sometimes bad beginnings make a happy ending.

"Are you happy, Troy?" she asked him.

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked her, "Are you?"

Gabriella smiled, "For now I am."

Gabriella walked through the sand on the white beach. The Spanish brunette wore a white floppy hat and a black bathing suite. The sun was shining down on her and it was beyond hot. Despite the hot temperature everything was fine. Gabriella was happy. Happy for the moment anyway. She didn't know how long this happiness would remain, but she decided to enjoy the moment. To take one step at a time. To enjoy every moment she's given with him.

Troy Bolton smiled as he watched the love of his life walking to the bar. She was perfect. More than perfect. Troy still couldn't believe that he had found her again. That he was with her again. He couldn't believe his luck. That he was with the love of his life again. That he was with the mother of his children.

Troy Bolton grinned as he watched Gabriella giving the bartender orders and only seconds later the woman was surrounded by a man. She didn't lose any charme. She was still seducing him without even doing anything. But for now, the heart of this woman was his.

"Two Pina Colada without alcohol." Gabriella ordered.

The tanned bartender nodded, "Coming right up."

Gabriella smiled and watched the bartender mixing his drink. This place was better than paradise. Suddenly the brunette's mind wandered over to her children. She wondered what they'd be doing at this moment. If they are happy right now... If they are missing her the same way she was missing them. If-

"Hi." she heard a male voice greeting her.

The brunette turned around, "Hi." she said with a smile on her lips.

"It's beautiful here, isn't it?" the dark brown eyed man asked her.

The brunette nodded, "It feels like paradise."

"How long have you been here?" he asked her and eyeballed here.

"Not long as you can see. I don't really have a tan yet." she answered, feeling a little uncomfortable. "What about you?" she asked him politely.

"One week. Are you here alone?" the dark blonde man asked her.

"Your drinks." the bartender said.

Gabriella took a sip of her drink and grabbed them both, "No, I am not alone here." she said, nodding towards the direction where Troy was sitting and looking at them.

"Well, seems like your boyfriend is having fun with someone else." the man said as they both saw a blonde woman walking to Troy, who was laying in a palopa. She was tall, blonde, had green eyes and an _amazing_ body. Gabriella wished she had that body. In fact, she used to have this body - only seven and a half years ago. She used to be _that_ hot. She used to turn every guys head as soon as they spoted her. She used to be that woman. Only seven and a half years ago.

Gabriella was jealous. Jealous of that body. But other than the jealousy of that body, she felt nothing.

"I'm Adam by the way." the man introduced himself.

Gabriella nodded and smiled before she said, "I'm Gabriella."

"Gabriella Montez?" another guy said, behind Gabriella.

The woman turned around.

"Oh my Gosh! Dude, that's Gabriella Montez!" the dark haired man answered and hit Adam's shoulder lightly. "She's the top of the top!"

Adam looked at him confused.

The man rolled his eyes, "She's _the_ producer and song writer! Name your favorite song and she wrote it. Bang! She's that good. She wrote only number one singles." the guy said and faced Gabriella again, "I'm Greg. Nice to meet you." he said and stroke out his hand.

Gabriella, confused, shook her head, "Nice to meet you, too."

"I'm _such_ a big fan! Wait, can I take a picture? No one's going to believe me that I met Gabriella Montez!" Greg answered and stroke out a camera.

"Uhm, sure." Gabriella said, a little more confused. She looked over at Troy, who was now surrounded by three woman. One red-haired and one brunette joined the blonde one. Oh yeah, some things never change... He was still a magnet to women.

Gabriella smiled akwardly as she felt Greg's sweaty arm around her petite body. A flash appeared and the picture was taken. "Thank you so much!" Greg said smiling. His smile dropped as he saw Troy Bolton surrounded by three women. "Dude, is that _Troy__Bolton_? He's like the _best_!"

"Look, whatever you say, I'm sure there is some kind of truth in it..." Adam said, rolling his eyes.

"I _have_ to take a picture with him as well!"

"What are you, five?" Adam said confused.

Greg looked at Gabriella, "Were the rumors true?"

"What rumors?" Gabriella asked him confused. Were there already rumors about their on again relationship?

"Well, there were those rumors about you two dating... Like ten years ago or so... Or more. I always wanted to know. I mean, this kinda would be major. Troy Bolton in a relationship with his assistant. Or ex-assistant."

Gabriella shook her head, "No, the rumors are false. There's never been a relationship between him and I. Well other than professional."

"Well, it was nice meeting you, guys. But I have to go." Gabriella said with a soft smile on her lips.

"I'm gonna see if I can catch more celebrities on this island!" Greg said and walked away.

"Sure, get the hotties off of your boyfriend, right?" Adam asked her.

Gabriella shrugged, knowing that this was exactly what she had to do.

So, the brunette kept her head up, held the drinks in her hands and made sure she looked as confident as possible as she walked to the crowd which surrounded her boyfriend. She would deal with them. Show them who he belonged to. Show them what was her's and never their's.

The blonde and the brunette giggled as Gabriella reached them. The red haired woman was just staring at him, amazed by his looks. Yeah, Gabriella had been down that road. The road of feeling in a complete different world once you look at Troy Bolton...

Gabriella came from the left, while the other three women were standing to the right side of Troy. She didn't know if he liked talking to them or not. All she knew was that it was bothering her. Not that he talked to them, but that they flirted with him. That bothered her. A lot.

"Hey." Gabriella greeted the group and all heads turned to her. "Your drink." Gabriella said and handed her boyfriend his Pina Colada.

"Gabriella, this is Jasmine, Regina and Claire." Troy introduced the three women.

"Nice to meet you all. I'm-"

"Gabriella Montez. We totally know!" the red haired, Claire said.

"Oh my Gosh! You're here. Together. As in _together_." Regina answered. _Damn__he__has__a__girlfriend!_

"Right. We should better go. It was nice meeting you..." Jasmine said her eyes on Troy and a flirty smile on her lips, "both." she added as she looked at Gabriella.

Gabriella didn't bother to give her the 'this-is-my-boyfriend-get-yourself-another-one-and-yeah-I-know-he's-hot' look. No, she absolutely didn't mind. She didn't even mind it that much, that she gave the same look to Claire and Regina. Then she winked, "Bye!" she said with a fake smile on her lips.

Then she sat down on the palopa and felt Troy's arms around her waist seconds later, "Woah, if I didn't knew better than I'd say you are jealous. Incredibly jealous." he said as he massaged her shoulders. "That was sexy." he whispered into her ear.

"Really?" Gabriella asked him and turned her head so she faced him, "I felt like back in High School where I had to defend my boyfriend because he was such a playboy that he loved flirting with every girl on campus. Natrually I _had_ to fall for him. It's always me who has this bad luck." she said and took a sip of her drink, before she placed it on a table.

"Did you just call me bad luck?" he asked her confused and placed his drink on the table as well.

Gabriella turned around and sat on his lap. "No. I did not. I just called myself bad luck. Huge difference. But what I didn't like was this whole defencing thing."

He smiled and brushed through her hair, "I didn't like you talking to the guys at the bar as well. You are still a man magnet, believe it or not. You weren't even a minute at the bar and the first man was already talking to you. And he would've loved to get in a room with you."

"Oh please! I don't have the body I had seven years ago. I am not all top model sized like the three women who I just had to scare away from you, because otherwise those women would have eaten you alive."

Troy smiled as he listen to his girlfriends problems. Problems she didn't even have to worry about. Not her. "No, you don't have that body anymore." Troy said into her eyes, "You don't have that body anymore because you had two children. _Our_ children. Instead you have an even hotter body now. No one from the resort could tell that you had any children, let alone two. Your body is perfectly shaped. You have curves, and I don't mean that in a bad way. I'm not saying curves, because you're fat, which you're not, I am saying curves because you really have curves. Those women were walking lynches. Did you realize how thin they were? All three of them have an eating disorder. I saw that within a second. The blonde does not eat enough meat, because her nails were all broken and splintery. The red haired did not eat enough calcium because of her pigmented skin, which she tried to hide under an uncountable amount of make-up. And that brunette, well she really needed to go to a hair-salon and start trying to eat some more fruits. She could use the vitamins. Now don't you worry about the wrong proportion, because I think they are perfect just the way they are."

Gabriella smiled softly as she listened to his soft pep-talk.

"And don't worry about me flirting with some other women. I may flirt, but I won't betray you. I won't stab this knif in your back. I've learned my lesson and I've changed since the last time we tried to have a normal relationship, although it wasn't quite normal because... " he shook his head, "Anyways, what I am trying to say is that you have absolutely no reason to be jealous of that three women. No reason, because I am head over heels in love with you - for more than eight years now. And yes, I know the exact date but I won't mention it now because _that_ would make everything a little more akward for me, but don't you worry, I know that date."

Gabriella smiled and kissed him passionatly. "Nice pep-talk you gave me there. And you thought you weren't ready to be a Dad..." she said into his eyes.

"Well thank you. No one has ever said that to me." he joked.

She hit him lightly, causing him to chuckle. "Maybe we shouldn't stay here for a week."

"What's that brain of your's thinking of again?"

"My brain is not... You see, we have to be in New York in one week."

"One week from yesterday on, yes."

"Maybe we should be in New York a little sooner."

"Why are you suggesting?"

"I am saying that we should stay here for another four days. Then we should fly to the Hamptons."

"The Hamptons?" he asked her confused.

"Matt. Matt lives there."

"Right. You want to thank Matt and Sharpay for babysitting for four days."

"Wrong."

"_So_ wrong. Why wrong?" he asked her again.

"_We_ are going to get to the Hamptons. _We_ will thank Sharp and Matt. _We_ as their parents. Both parents."

"You... You want me to meet them?"

"Yes."

"In four days."

"Yes."

"But... But that's in a four days!"

"If you start panicing now then I swear I'm going to-"

"I am not panicing right now. I am alright. Excited. I mean, I've never met my children before. That sounded weird. What father can say that about himself?"

"Sadly, a lot." she said and took a sip of her drink. "So, what do you think about my plan?"

He nodded, "Best plan ever." he said before he kissed her softly.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed reading this short chapter :)<strong>

**Please review.**

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	30. Is that our father?

**Chapter 30: Is that our father?**

Sharpay was sitting outside on a comfortable chair with a sunshade giving her shadow on this hot and very sunny day at the Hamptons. While the kids were swimming in the pool, she was reading the newspaper. Her eyes catched a tiny article on the front page.

_Bolton's in love again!_

_Troy Bolton was spotted at the JFK Airport with a certain lady beside him. Witnesses describe this woman as not very tall, with a good looking body, black locks and dark brown eyes. Some said she looked a lot like Gabriella Montez. Is Troy Bolton back with his ex-assistant? There were rumors years ago that those two hooked up. Even pregnancy rumors made their ways into the tabloids._

Sharpay's eyes fell open. She opened her MacBook Pro right away and started to google those two. She started eagerly to look for pictures. Pictures of both of them. They told her they'd be at the Bahamas. Maybe they changed their minds. Or they missed their flight. It wouldn't be the first time in Gabriella's case.

After minutes of searching through internet pages she finally found some paparazzi taken shots of both of them. They weren't really good, but she recognized her best friend. And she recognized Troy Bolton. Definitely Troy Bolton.

"Aunt Sharpay, what are you doing there?" she heard Emily's voice.

"Nothing." Sharpay said and was about to close her MacBook Pro.

"Is that our Mom?" Johnathan asked her and pointed at the Paparazzi taken picture. It showed Gabi and Troy at the beach. Sitting in a palopa talking about something. She was wearing a black Bikini and Troy black swimming trunks. He looked hot. Tanned. Just like Gabriella. They were the perfect couple. Based on their looks. And characters. And children. Yeah, their children were really the prettiest children in the world. Definitely beautiful.

"Uhm... Yes." Sharpay answered, feeling uncomfortable.

"Wait, is that our father?" Emily asked shocked. "Is Mom with our father on vacation?"

Sharpay nodded, "Yes. Are you guys mad?"

"She could have told me." Johny answered.

"And me. Could have showed us a picture."

"Exactly." Johnathan agreed with his little sister.

"So you're mad." Sharpay said noticing.

"No." both said at once, "She need to figure things out... Listen to her heart and all that stuff."

"Since when did you guys get so mature?" Sharpay asked them worried and surprised. "You're too smart for your own good."

"When do you think we get to meet him?" Emily asked her.

"Don't know. Haven't talked to your Mom."

"Do you think it's soon?"

"Do you want to meet him soon?"

"Kind of. I mean, he's our father after all. You know, I could play football with him."

"Or tennis." Emily suggested.

"Or tennis. You know, like other boys do with their fathers." Johnathan explained.

Sharpay nodded, "You really miss your Dad, don't you?"

"No." They both said in a choir again.

"I mean, we never knew him. You can't miss someone if you don't know him, right?" Emily asked her.

"But I was jealous of the other boys talking about their Dads and stuff. You know... But that's normal. Right?"

Sharpay nodded, "Right. I think you're gonna meet him soon. Probably sooner than you think."

"Do you know him?"

"Of course."

"Tell us about him."

"Alright, sit down guys. This is going to be a long conversation..." Sharpay ordered and pointed at the other chairs.

Both children sat next to her and listened eagerly.

Gabriella Montez was standing in the bathroom of their suite. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her locks were falling losely on her shoulders, covering her shoulders. She checked her make up, which showed no inperfection. The brunette stepped one step away from the mirror to check what she was wearing. The wine red colored corset fit her upper body perfectly. And the matching pants fit perfectly as well. All in all, she looked pretty hot. After two children and seven and a half years later, she nearly felt like twenty-two again. Minus the short hair cut. And plus the bigger boobs. But all in all, she was one freaking hot twin mother!

The brunette opened the door to the master bedroom and saw no one in the room. "Troy?" she asked loudly.

"Kitchen!" he yelled back.

"Kitchen?" she asked herself as she started to walk into the direction of the kitchen. "What the hell are you- Oh my God!" she said and tried to cover her body with her hands. Troy Bolton was talking to the hotel staff. The woman just delivered a couple of fruits. Fruits like coconuts, bananas, berries, kiwis... And a whole lot more.

"Mrs. Bolton, I am _so_ sorry!" the dark brown hair colored woman said and looked away. "I'll just leave... Again, I am _so_ sorry! Really sorry, Mrs. Bolton." the woman mumbled and walked out of their suite.

Troy on the other hand just stared at Gabriella. With his mouth wide open, but with no words coming from that mouth. Guess he was as shocked as she was. But she was definitely hot. More than hot in this outfit.

The door of their suite closed and Gabriella could breath again. She walked up to her boyfriend and hit him on his shoulder.

"Ouch!"

"Next time the hotel staff is here, YOU SAY IT!" she said in an angry voice.

"Why, because you don't want to show the others how sexy you are?" he said as he eyeballed her. Yeah, she was beyond sexy.

She hit him again, "No! Because I don't want them to see me in seducive underwear which only _you_ are _suppose_ to see. Not the hotel staff! Do you know how embarrassing that was?"

"It would have been more embarrassing if it were me."

"No it wouldn't!" she said in an angry voice and shook her head, "Great. All this effort for _nothing_!" she said disappointed. "And she called me Mrs. Bolton for Christ's sake! Mrs. Bolton!" she said and brushed through her hair. "Mrs. Bolton." she said and looked at Troy.

He remained silent.

"What? You've got nothing to say to that?"

"So she called you Mrs. Bolton. That doesn't bother me. But it appearantly bothers you."

"It bothers me because it's obvious that we aren't married."

"Mhm..." he said nodding.

"What's that suppose to mean?" she asked him confused.

"Nothing." he said and sat down on the couch, which was a couple of meters away from them.

"No, no, no! You don't get away with a simple nothing here, Mr." Gabriella said and followed him.

"What?"

"What do you mean, what? I need an explanation here, Troy. A full explanation of your non-existing reaction because of that hotel employee calling me Mrs. Bolton." she said, looking at him.

"There is none."

"There is none you want to share with me right now."

"Exactly."

"But you should tell me."

"No."

"Oh yes."

"Oh no."

"Will you give up?"

"No."

"Will you give up if I try it with sex?" she said with a dirty smile on her lips.

"Although you look very seducing, no."

"You really don't want to talk about it?"

"I really don't want to talk about it."

"But I do."

"No you don't."

"You don't know what I want!"

"Yes I do. Talking about this is way too soon. We just got back together. Literally."

"Troy..." she said and brushed through his sandy brown hair, "Talking about it does not mean we are doing it. There's a difference."

"Still. I don't want to scare you away."

"And how could you possibly doing that?"

"By rushing."

"If you were rushing, I'd be slowing you down." she explained, "So no, you won't scare me away. No matter what you do."

"I just... Don't want to lose you, I guess."

"I don't want to lose you, too, I guess." she quoted him with a grin on her lips. Then she lifted herself, "So let's raise this issue, shall we?"

"Gabs..."

"I promise you very good sex afterwards."

"It's all about sacrifices in a relationship..." he said and rolled his eyes.

"You got that fast." she said and kissed him softly, "So marriage. What do you think?"

"What _do__you_ think?"

"I think we should get married. Not today and not in the near future. But someday when the time is right, yeah we should. I think it would be logical."

"So you think marriage is a logical consequence out of our relationship?"

She nodded, "Yes. It would make life for the twins a lot easier."

"And I have the glorious honor to choose the moment when the time is right. The time could be right at this moment!"

"No it's not."

"You're right, it's not." he agreed, "We so shouldn't talk about this."

"Really? Then what are you going to say when our children start asking you question about our relationship? Like why I left you and you never even called? Like why we aren't married like every other parents they know? Like _when_ we are getting married _if_ you really love me, which you do, I hope? This is not as easy as it sounds. We can't just ignore this topic, because you think it's too soon. Kids don't care if it's too soon to talk about certain things, they just do because they want to." she explained to him.

"Okay." he said and placed his hands over hers, "How about this: I never called because your mother didn't tell me about you two. Your Mom didn't tell me because I've hurt her very badly. I've hurt her because I was stupid and reckless. But she took me back. After eight years, she took me back. We aren't getting married because I didn't propose to her. I didn't propose because a) I don't have a ring and you should really have a ring and b) because it's neither the time nor the place to propose. Although I love her very very much, so yeah you were right, we need to figure things out first. Meaning we have to start to live with each other. And that's gonna be a big change for all the four of us. And then, one day, we will get married and be an official family in front of the court." he explained.

"That was good." Gabriella said impressed. "That was... Really good."

"If it were up to me, I'd marry you right away. But it's not up to me, it's up to you. So I'm not gonna do that. I'm not gonna ask you to marry me, because that's not what you want. At least not yet. But when the time is right, believe me, I will slide that ring on your finger without even waiting for an answer." he said, looking into her eyes, "Okay?"

"Okay." she agreed and felt his lips crashing against her's.

"Conversation's closed?"

"All done and cleared." she answered and nodded.

"Good."

"But I just lost the mood for sex." Gabriella announced.

The sandy haired man nodded, "That's okay. I kind of figured when you announced shockingly that the hotel staff called you Mrs. Bolton." he explained and felt her body leaning against his. "You still look hot."

"Another night perhaps."

"Another night..." he agreed before he placed a kiss on her head.

"... Troy?"

"Mhm?"

"I love you. I really do. I love you a lot."

"More than words can describe, I know. And I love you as well. Probably even a little more."

"I am sorry for not telling you about Emily and Johnathan."

"It's okay."

"I wanted to. At times, I almost called you. But then I remembered that I couldn't. I couldn't call you and tell you that you were a Dad. A Dad of two seven and a half year-olds. Although I wished you'd be there. It would have been so much easier. For all three of us."

"Well I can't erase the old memories of the three of you. But I can make memories with all four of us in it. I'm not gonna be able to make it up, I know that. But I can try to be the best Dad I can be for them."

"They need a father figure. They miss a father figure."

"Maybe I am a horrible father figure."

"No, you're not."

"Maybe I am not the father figure they expected me to be."

"Because you're gonna be way better. You are the hottest bachelor alive, according to Forbs Magazine. You have a really cool _and_ well paying job. You work with celebrities. They never met any celeb. I've never shown them where I work and who I work with. You could show them all these pictures of all these amazing artists you've already worked with. That alone makes you the best Dad ever in their eyes. And you can play football... Plus tennis."

"Huh?" he asked her confused.

"Johnathan's into football, Emily into tennis. I am horrible at both." she explained and laughed a little, "They need a father figure."

"Football and tennis..."

"Football and tennis."

"I was into basketball at their age."

"And I was into Barbies." she explained and shrugged, "And our children are into football and tennis."

"Are you sure I am the father then?" he asked her and he chuckled as she hit him lightly.

Gabriella's ringing phone interrupted them. The brunette got up and walked to her cellphone before she picked up.

"Hi, Sharp."

_"Hey. Where are you?"_

"I was expecting a 'how are you Gabs'. We're at the Turks and Caios Islands. We missed our flight..."

_"I figured. You guys are in the newspaper."_

The brunette looked at Troy, "We're already in the newspapers."

The man shrugged, "Sooner or later they would have figured it out anyway. I hope the pictures are at least nice."

_"Your children are asking for you. Wait a second, I'll put you on loud speaker."_

Gabriella looked at Troy again, "You wanna hear your children?"

He nodded.

"Be silent, okay?" she asked him and put them on loud speaker as well.

_"Hi__Mom!"_ they both cried.

"Hi guys. How are you doing? You're not bugging Sharp and Matt, are you?"

_"Us? No way!"_

"Mhm... Sure."

_"Listen, we want to ask you something." Emily said to her._

"Go ahead." she said a little confused. Was this about some new awesome computer game?

_"When__will__we__meet__our__Dad?"_ _Johnathan__asked__him._

Troy's eyes wided and Gabriella glanced at him. "When do you want to?"

_"We saw pictures of him. Sharpay showed us pictures. We look like him. More like him than like you."_

"I know. Do you want to talk to him?"

_"What? No!" they both cried._

Gabriella smiled, they were shy. "Listen, we're going to be home in four days. We can meet up with your father then."

_"In four days?"_

"In four days. Or you guys can talk now to him."

_"No, I wanna look him in his eyes when I ask him these questions." Johnathan said in an angry voice._

"Okay..." Gabriella said worried, "Johny, are you alright?"

_"Yes." he said briefly. "See you in four days, mother." he said and hung up._

Gabriella glanced at the phone. He was mad. Mad at her! Then she looked at Troy. "He is mad."

"I figured."

"Mad at me."

"No he's mad at me. He's angry and confused, probably. We're rushing it."

"No we're not!" she said now angry herself. "I can't believe he's mad! I didn't do anything."

"Gabriella, are you even listening to me?" he asked her.

"What?"

"He's not angry with you. He's angry with me. He's angry because I wasn't there for him and his sister. He's confused because suddenly, totally out of the blue, I am in the picture again. And the only way he can unload this confusion and anger is by talking to me... But he is kind of angry with you, because you didn't tell them earlier. Didn't show them any pictures, I guess. Sharpay took over instead."

"They left her no choice. I know how stubborn they can be. They have that from me." she answered.

"Okay, lay down." he said to her, "You need a massage. And I need to have at least a reason to open up that corset." he said as he got up, "I'm gonna get the oil."

"So you do think I am sexy." she noticed as she watched Troy walking into the bathroom to get the oil.

"I've never said you don't look sexy. The interuption with the employee just turned everything upside down." he explained.

"Troy Bolton is _our_ father?" Emily asked Sharpay shocked. "You've _got_ to be kidding me! Do you know what that means?" she asked and looked at Johnathan.

"Of course I know what that means. Who do you think I am?" Johnathan said, hoping he was a good actor this time.

"Troy Bolton wrote every single song you have _ever_ listened to! Your favorite song was produced by him! _He's_ the boss of Wilson's record!"

"Wait, wait, wait... You mean, he's that-"

"Of course he is, stupid! I can't believe that we have the same parents, considering that you absolutely know _nothing_ about the world!" Emily hissed at him.

"Look, I may not be as popular as you are in school, but that doesn't-"

"Oh spare me that sh-"

"Emily!" Sharpay warned her.

"He doesn't even know who Troy Bolton is, aunt Sharpay! That's more than embarissing!" she said. Then her head turned to her big brother again. "Troy Bolton is the coolest man alive! Our father is the coolest father _ever_!"

"Oh just you wait until you screw up... Then he had been the coolest father ever." Sharpay mumbled under her breath.

* * *

><p><strong>New chapter :) Hope you liked it.<strong>

**Please review.  
>Xoxo Nic<br>**


	31. Uncool

**Chapter 31: Uncool**

One week later:

"Tea's ready!" the brunette cried as she put the water into the cups. Although she had only been one week home, it felt like no time past at all. Standing in her 520.000$ kitchen the brunette turned around, holding two plates in her hands. She placed them on the table in front of her and was greeted by her children only seconds after that.

"Mom, we need to talk." both kids said at once.

"Uh-oh this doesn't sound nice. What did I do wrong now?" the brunette asked as she watched them both taking a seat.

"We want a pet."

"A pet?" she asked them surprised. "You aren't even home enough to make sure your flowers don't die. How do you want a pet? That's not some stuffed animal. It's a real animate being. You can...Where did you get the idea from?"

"Sam has one." Johnathan admited.

"And Susan." Emily added.

"And Pete."

"Christian has one as well." Emily added with a soft smile on her lips.

"What pet do you want?"

"Does that mean we get one?"

"No, it means I want to know what kind of pet my children would like."

"A dog."

"An Australian Shepherd." Emily corrected him.

"Australian Shepherd? Do you know how much attention this kind of a dog requires?" Gabriella asked them.

"But-" the doorbell interrupted both humans from talking.

The brunette got up and walked to the door. "Drink your teas."

"This conversation isn't closed, is it?" Emily asked her mother with puppy eyes.

"No, but I have to get the door." the brunette answered. She opened the door after the third ring. "They want a dog." the brunette said to her opponent.

"Dogs are awesome. I had an Australian Shepherd."

"See? Dad's not against it." Johnathan answered.

The brunette looked behind her, "Shouldn't you be drinking your tea right now?"

"But Moooomm!"

"Tea, ahora!" she ordered.

"Fine, I'm going..." the male Montez child answered and walked away.

"He called me Dad." Troy answered as he walked in.

"Yeah, he did..." Gabriella said. They were adjusting to their father.

_Flashback_

_"How is it going?" Sharpay asked her best friend._

_Both friends stared at Troy, talking to Emily and Johnathan in a distance._

_Gabriella smiled, "I think they are taking it well."_

_"That's good..." Sharpay said, smiling at her best friend. "How are you?"_

_"Good. I think we can do this. We can do this as a family. After all, we are a family." _

_End of Flashback_

"But you saying dog's are cool and stuff, is not helping me."

"So they want a dog. We can get them a dog."

"No we can't Troy. They are at a boarding school. Which means they aren't home very often. Which means, if we had a dog, the dog would be very bored and horribly treated. Because we don't have time for a dog. No dog."

"No dog?" both twins asked her in a choir.

"No dog." she repeated.

"But Moommm!"

"Conversation's closed."

"Ugh, you're so _uncool_!" they both said as they walked to the table again.

_Flashback_

_"Why didn't you call?" Emily asked her father._

_"Your Mom didn't tell me about you guys earlier. I only know about you for a couple of weeks."_

_"Why didn't you call her? I mean, after all you love her. You could have called her, if you really love her." Johny said._

_"I let her go because I love her. I stayed away because I love her. I didn't call because I love her. I would do it again, if she asked me to. Love does not mean you have to be around the person you love. You can be not in the person's life but still love this person."_

_"Why are you here now?"_

_"Because I deserve a chance. Your Mom gave me a second chance. You guys deserve to get to know me, if you want to."_

_Both children were silent._

_"We want to." Emily answered for her and her brother. _

_"And we want to try to be a family as well. If you love her, you're not going to hurt her again. And we should really try to be something like a family." Johnathan said to his father._

_He nodded, "Okay."_

_"Does that mean you're gonna marry soon?" Emily asked him._

_He smiled. Gabriella was right. Then he shrugged, "Probably not in the near future. But yeah, maybe somewhere down the road. Would you mind?"_

_"No. It would be good." Emily said._

_"Logical in a way." Johnathan added, quoting Gabriella's words._

_End of Flashback_

"You want tea? The water's still hot." Gabriella offered.

Troy shook his head, "No thanks. Have you told them about the project yet?"

"No..." she said, feeling guilty.

"You do know that we're going to have to head off soon. As in a couple of days for me."

"And I appreciate that you offered to go earlier than me. Really I do."

"But that didn't stop you from telling them." he said as they both walked into the open kitchen. "You should tell them."

"Tell us what?" Emily asked her mother.

"I'm going to have to work from Santa Barbara again. With your father. We're going to work together for this new project."

"Does that mean we move?" Johnathan asked.

"Move in with Dad?" Emily asked.

"Get out of school?" Johny asked.

"Go to another boarding school in California?"

"See? That's why I haven't told them yet." Gabriella whispered and sat down on a chair. "I am going to move to California. You guys can stay at Trinity, if you want."

"No! We wanna go."

"Why? I thought you had lots of friends at Trinity. I thought you liked Trinity."

"No, we don't. We do have friends there, but the students are all weird." Johnathan explained.y

"They are all nerds!" Emily added.

"Really? Well if you guys want to change school, then you could have just told me."

"We didn't want you to... You know." Johnathan said, not even knowing himself why they didn't tell her.

"So are we going to go to new boarding school in California?" Emily asked.

Gabriella shrugged, "Do you guys want to go to boarding school? I mean with us living in Santa Barbara, my work is going to be around the corner. I will be home more often, leave alone your father."

"Can we go to a regular school then?" Johnathan asked.

"Do you want to go to a regular school?" Troy asked, involving himself the first time into the conversation.

"Well yeah. We hope that there won't be as much nerds as here."

"Did they bully you guys?" Gabriella asked them concerned.

"No." they both answered at once, "But we didn't have a lot of friends there. Especially not in class, you know they were all older and stuff."

"So you want to go to school in California."

"Yes." both said at once. "When will we move?"

"Hold on, we still need a place to stay first. We don't even have an apartment or house." Troy explained. "We have to go crib hunting first."

"Well I want a house." Johnathan said.

"I want the ocean and a pool. Like Matt."

Gabriella giggled, "Well whatelse do you want?"

"A dog! We want an Australian Sheperd!" they both said at once. "Can we get a dog? Please, Mommy?" they asked with puppy eyes.

"Please?" Troy asked with the same puppy eyes.

The brunette rolled her eyes, she had no chance winning this, "Fine we'll get a dog."

"Yes!" they all said at once.

"But after we moved and you guys are at your new school and everything's settled."

"Okay." the twins said in a choir again.

Three hours later the twins were upstairs, getting ready to go to bed while Gabriella was busy cleaning up. The brunette put all the dirty dishes into the dishwasher and cleaned all the kitchen counters and tables. Then she made herself and Troy two cups of tea. After the tea was filled into two cups she threw herself on the couch, right in front of the fireplace. She closed her eyes for just a second, to relax.

Gabriella heard footsteps walking down the stairs, walking closer to her. She opened her eyes and took a sip of her tea.

"Are you tired?" Troy asked her from the corridor as she yawned.

"No. Yes. Maybe." she said, confused about her own mental state.

"Shall I go?"

Gabriella shook her head and answered with a softly, "No. I wanna spend time with you. Sit down and drink another cup of tea."

He smiled as he walked into the living room and sat down next to her. "I can't believe they are already calling me Dad."

"Well you are their Dad. What else are they suppose to call you?"

"I know, but hearing it makes it real."

"They are real. This is not some dream. This is reality, Troy."

"I know." he said and kissed her.

She returned his kiss and wrapped her arms around him, before she pulled him closer to her.

"I love you." he whispered into her ear.

"I love you, too." she said into his eyes and kissed him again.

"You've done an amazing job raising them. I mean, we both wouldn't have done it any better. You know that, right?"

The brunette smiled softly, "Thank you for saying that. It means a lot to me." she said as she brushed through his hair, "And now it's your turn to raise our children with me by your side. Like you should have all along."

He smiled and kissed her softly.

"You should stay here tonight." she suggested.

"Really?"

"Yeah. The twins should get used to it anyways. I mean, we'll be living together soon." she answered and brushed through his sandy brown hair, "Plus, I miss sharing one bed with you." she whispered before she kissed him passionately.

* * *

><p><strong>New chapter. Hope you liked it :)<strong>

**Review.**

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	32. I won't leave you

**Chapter 32: I won't leave you**

"So what exactly are you looking for?" real-estate agent, Sara Becker asked the couple sitting at the other side of the desk.

Gabriella and Troy were at the best real-eastate agency in whole California. The room was bright blue with white and black furniture. It was a really nice and stylish room.

"We're looking for a house in Santa Barbara."

"And we also heard your the best." Troy added.

"Okay and what requirements do you have, Mr. And Mrs. Bolton?"

Gabriella ignored the last part, "Well the house has to have a minimum of five bedrooms."

Sara nodded.

"Six bathrooms and two offices." Troy added with the famous Bolton smile on his lips.

"Oh and one pool houses. And one guest house"

"_Two__houses_?" Troy asked her surprised.

"Trust me, honey, when Thanksgiving and Christmas is coming up you will be thankfull for the two houses. Or the extra bedrooms."

"So a minimum of five bedrooms, six bathrooms, two offices, two separate houses... Anything else?" the blonde woman asked. The crystal green eyes eyeballed Troy. Of course she thought he was hot. But according to the ring on her left hand, she was already tied to another man.

"Well it would be nice if the house was at the beach, or at least have an ocean view." Gabriella answered, thinking of Emily.

"Is there an architectural style your prefer?"

"Well I personally love Spanish. Or Italien. Or French even maybe."

"Nothing too modern. Not a lot of glass. As much as I love those glass hotels, I don't want that much transparency at my home."

"What about the financial stuff? Is there a minimum?"

Gabriella looked at Troy, knowing that he was more familiar with that stuff, then she was.

"I say we start at about 15 million." he said in a serious voice. It was a business after all.

Sara nodded, "I think I can find a nice estate for you. Is there a maximum?"

"No." Troy answered, making Sara smile. It was every relator's dream to have such a client.

"Okay, so I think I can find you some estates in Santa Barbara." the blonde woman said with a smile on her face. She shook hands with both of them before the couple left the agency.

"Do you think she will find us a nice place we can call our home?" Gabriella asked her boyfriend as they walked down in streets of Santa Barbara in the heat of the afternoon sun.

"There's no one who can, but her." he answered and heard his cell vibrate.

"Oh I know what that means..." Gabriella mumbled. "So much to our free day."

The brown haired man got out his cellphone and looked at the display. "It'll be only five minutes."

The brunette smiled softly and shook her head, "It's never just five minutes, honey. You and I both know how quickly five minutes turn into two hours. But it's okay. I know what this job means to you. It means as much to you as my job does to me." the brunette said before they both crossed the street.

"Are you mad?" he asked her as they slowly walked over to his car.

"No." she said as she saw the black Range Rover Sport. "Just make sure to drop me off at Ashley's before you drive to work. I left my car there last night. Along with our children." she said smiling as she got into the car.

The man nodded as he opened the car door and got in. "I promise that we will have one day to ourselves. Soon."

"And it doesn't matter if we don't. Because I get to spend every single day with you. Well, a couple of hours but it's enough." she said and brushed through her dark brown locks. "Wish me luck, I have to drive to their new school tomorrow. To register them and stuff. It's gonna be fun." she said and faked a smile. "As soon as they will find out you're their father, they all will go crazy." she said and watched the houses as they drove back to Los Angeles.

"Then don't tell them."

Her head turned over to him, "What?"

"I mean it."

"No, Troy. We agreed to have no more secrets. None."

"We still haven't had a public appearance. We can still change our mind."

"We need to come clean one way or another. I rather have it my way, than the media's way." she explained to him.

"It's gonna be crazy one way or another..." he said and let the words in the air.

The brunette decided to not respond. It was pointless to dicuss that with him now. He wasn't even really listening to her.

"How do you think Ashley is doing with Em and John?" she asked him, changing the subject.

He shrugged, "No idea. But from my past experiences, she should be fine."

The brunette nodded and was silent again.

"You're pissed." he noticed.

"I am not pissed."

"Yes you are. Your passive aggressive."

"I am not!"

"Yes you are, Gabriella. Look, I am not going to change directions and drive to the airport, just because you want to be in Cuba right now instead of being stuck in this car with me."

She smiled. There he was again. The Troy she knew. "I know that you will not drive to the airport like we originally planned. I accepted that, okay?"

"So don't be pissed."

"Don't tell me what to feel, Troy!" she snapped at him. "I am not pissed at you for Christ's Sake! I pissed because of this fucking situation right now!"

"You think I want that? I don't want to be stuck in meetings the whole day as well!"

"Then don't go!"

"I can't! You know that I can't stay with you. My work is not more important to me than you are, but I can not turn this down."

"Fine." she said and looked outside the window again.

"Gabriella, please..." he said.

She remained silent.

"Fine, you want to punish me with silence?" he asked her.

She kept being silent.

"Okay, good. Be mad at me. But just so you know, I am doing this for both of us."

"How do you think this has anything...? You are doing this for _you_. For your ego! To freaking show that you not depending on me!" she snapped at him furiously.

"You're talking bullshit right now. I liked you much more when you were silent." he answered.

"Pull over." she said to him and looked out of the window.

He kept driving down the highway. "We're in the middle of nowhere."

"I don't care."

"Don't be stupid."

"I asked you to pull over."

"No."

"Pull over or I'll tear that door open and jump." she threatened him.

He sighed and turned on the flashing light. "Gabriella-"

"No." she started as she started to unfasten her seatbelt, "I don't want this argument turn into something more. Something I can not stop." she explained and looked up at Troy as his hand stopped her from unfastening her seatbelt.

"But-"

"I will be fine. Right now I am at the edge of throwing words into this conversation which I won't be able to take back. So let me get out of the car."

He nodded, "I'll see you later."

The brunette got out of the car and shut the door close. Then she watched the car driving futher and further away from her, until it was no longer visible. Suddenly she could breath again. The tension was gone. She was already feeling better.

The brunette looked around as she felt the cold wind on her shoulders. Then she got out her cellphone and started dial Ashley's number.

"What's up?"

"Any chance you could pick me up from the highway without the twins asking too many questions?" she asked her innocently.

Ashley sighed at the other end of the line, "Another fight? Seriously?"

Gabriella shrugged, "Are you gonna be able to make it?"

The brunette took a deep breath, "Yeah... Yeah, I will be able to get you. But you're gonna have to talk to me once we're home and the twins are busy. Because those arguments are turning out to be having some serious effect on your relationship with my brother." she said and hung up.

The brunette put her cellphone back into her purse and sat down on a big hot stone. She had no idea why she reacted the way she did in the car. She had no idea why she was walking around like a ticking bomb. She didn't understand her feelings - let alone her actions. She completely freaked out. Why was it getting so hard for her to breath once she was around Troy? Why was everything suddenly getting so hard? She had no idea what was going on with her. But she was afraid that this would make her lose Troy. She couldn't lose him. And she wouldn't let herself do that. Especially not to her children.

"Okay what exactly is going on with you?" Ashley asked the brunette as they both were sitting in the kitchen, drinking their regular cup of hot tea. It was already late and the kids were both already asleep in the guest house.

The brunette shrugged and brushed through her dark brown locks, "Honestly, I don't know."

"How can you not know? I mean, is there something going on between you two?"

The brunette shook her head, "No, I mean it's not like... I don't know. There's something between us like... Hell, I have no idea why I am such a bitch lately!"

"But you're not... I mean..."

"No! No, I am not pregnant. It's not that..." she sighed, "I am just afraid that I will lose him again. And whatever is going on with me, I think it might tear us apart. And I don't want that. I mean, think about John and Emily. I don't want them to lose their father."

"They will not lose their father, no matter how your relationship with Troy will develop."

The brunette sighed again and took a sip of her tea, "I have a feeling, Ash..."

"A feeling?"

"Something's changing. I don't know what it is, but something is changing between us."

"You guys are just out of your honeymoon state and are now facing the bittersweet reality."

"But we used to be fine in reality as well." Gabriella answered.

"Maybe you guys need a weekend for yourself." Ashley proposed.

"That won't be possible. As strong as I want that... It's not gonna be possible. We are both working at the same place. So we can't leave at the same time."

"But you got the day off today, didn't you?"

"Yeah we managed to have exactly four hours to ourselves. Two of them we spent on the road. One hour we spent at the real-estate agency."

"And the other hour?"

"We spent fighting. It was not a good day. Not even good hours." she answered and brushed through her locks, "Gosh what the hell is going on with us?"

"I don't know. How about you tell me..." Troy said and both head turned to the voice.

"Alright, that's my queue to go to bed. I'll see you guys in the morning." the brunette said and got up. "Have a good night." she said as she passed Troy.

"Yeah, you two." he said and walked to Gabriella. "What was that today?"

The brunette shrugged, "I don't know."

"How can you not know? There has to be some kind of explanation why you keep on snapping at me like you do."

"I would tell you, but I don't _know_!" she snapped at him.

"There. You're doing it again! We can't even have a normal human conversation without you trying to kill me!"

"It's not me who is doing something wrong. Maybe it's you."

"How can-"

"Whenever I am around you, there's this tension. And this tension is making it hard for me to breath. And this tension is-"

"freaking you out?" he asked her.

She nodded, "I have absolutely no idea how to make it stop. But I am afraid that-"

"this will tear us apart?"

She nodded again and brushed through her locks.

"Gabriella, " he started and fondled her cheek, "You will not lose me. No matter how much you will yell at me and what words you will throw at my head, I will not leave you. I will never leave you."

"How can you remain so sweet when I am such a bitch to you?" she asked him hopelessly.

He shrugged, "Because I love you and that didn't change in eight years. And it's not going to change now just because you start to get a little bit bitchy."

The brunette smiled, "I love you. Even though I am still a bitchy right now, I still love you."

He nodded and kissed her head, "I know and I love you as well. It's a hard time right now, for both of us. Stress is getting to us. We have the house hunting, work, moving which eventually will come up... Getting the kids registered at school... It will all slow down, once everything is in place. Don't let it get to your head."

"I know... I know."

"I tell you what, we are going to get a weekend getaway once everything is settled. Just you and I. No media, no work and no children. One weekend with just you and me and a hotel room at the beach." he said and fondled her cheek.

She nodded and looked straight into his eyes, "Okay, that sounds like a good plan to me."

"Okay..." he agreed and kissed her softly.

* * *

><p><strong>I can officially say that I finished writing this story :)<strong>

**_You're the light to my soul_ will end after 36 chapters - and an epilogue of course.**

**Please review :)**

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	33. Bonded

**Chapter 33: Bonded**

_Six months later:_

Gabriella was sitting in their backyard, watching the stars shining over the ocean. It was a chilly summer night in Santa Barbara. She couldn't believe that only six months ago she was living in New York. As a single parent.

Now she was living in a Spanish mansion, on a hill, with a view of the ocean. She couldn't believe that she was having her happy ending. Her happy ending with her Prince Charming - or Troy Bolton, he was as good as Prince Charming.

The brunette took a sip of her orange juice and let herself sink onto the couch.

"They are finally asleep." Troy answered as he lay beside her on the couch. "You have no idea how much I had to read out of those books. The funny thing is that Roxy fell asleep right away. That dog truely needs her beauty sleep. "

"Stop mocking our dog. You wanted an Australian Shepherd. There you go, we have one now. I didn't see it coming that she would fall in love with you."

"Well, she loves my voice. It makes her sleepy. If only our children would be like that..." he said and recieved a soft hit from the brunette lieing next to him.

The brunette smiled, "Well they can't help but love to listen to their father." she said as she placed her head on his chest. "Just like I do." she added and kissed him.

"It's chilly tonight." he noticed and got up.

"Hey!" she protested and grabbed his arm.

"I was just going to get you a blanket. You're all cold." he explained. "I'll be back in a second."

She let him go and watched him getting a blanket out of the living room. He grabbed the dark red colored cashmere blanket from the couch. He stopped as his eyes caught a picture, which was taken five months ago. The picture showed Gabriella, Emily, Mickey Mouse, Johnathan and Troy at Disneyland. It was on their eighth birthday. The twins invited all their friends to Disney Land. It was a blast for them. They had been at the Walt Disney World Resort in Kissimmee, Florida. The family decided to stay in Florida for the summer. They rent a beach house in Boynton. Their house had the most amazing view and the children really enjoyed the time they had been giving with both parents. With both parents working together, it was rare that they got to see their mother _and_ father at the same time. Usually it was their mother who made breakfast and woke them up; while their father had dinner with them and brought them to bed. And in Florida they had them both. For almost three weeks.

Troy Bolton smiled at the picture and walked back to his waiting love. He covered her with the blanket and lay next to her again.

"It's a nice night..." Gabriella answered and took another sip of her orange juice.

"It is..." Troy agreed and kissed her softly on her lips.

"Troy?" she asked him slowly and looked at him. "Do you want to have more children?"

He looked down at her, "Sure I do."

"When?"

"Whenever you want to. I can wait, you know I can... Whenever you feel ready, then we will have more children. And you know that it's not a question of money for us. It's rather a question if you want to take a step back from work. Because that's what you're gonna have to do. At least for a while." he said into her eyes, "Why are you asking?"

She shrugged, "After mostly working with pregnant artists lately, I kind of got into thinking... You know, I always wanted to more have children. More children with you. And since the last time wasn't really the way it should be... I just thought we should talk about it. That's all." she said and shrugged.

"Talk about it... Okay." he said and looked at her.

"What?" she asked him surprised.

"And you're really not trying to tell me something...?"

Gabriella shook her head, "No... I am not pregnant. Not again. Not now. I am still on the pill."

"Okay..." he said and hugged her tighter.

"I am not."

"Okay..." he said and kissed her cheek.

"There's a parents get together on Friday..." Gabriella stared.

Troy glanced at her, "You really expect me to go there, _again_? These _women_ are horrible! And now let's not start talking about the fathers! Did you know that they already have a career planned out for their kids? They are eight for Christ's sake! Eight!"

"We should still go."

"You do know that they are still gossiping about us. Well, mainly you. Just because you-"

Gabriella shrugged, "It'll be good for Em and John."

"Why would it-"

"They need to make social contacts. And with all of their classmates at one place, not in a school, it may be easier for them."

"Are you right now all going psychological on me?" he asked her surprised.

"I am just saying that it will be good for them."

"What will be good about hanging out with some rich children who don't even respect the value of money!" he said to her.

"They need to find friends."

"They have friends."

"Not at school."

"Does it matter?"

"Yes Troy, it does matter. I don't want them to be treated like freaks at their school! Do you think it's funny to be the freak and get bullied? Because that's what's gonna happen if they don't find friends. They will turn into Nerds, no they actually already are, but they will be treated differently. Do you want to make middle school a living hell for them?"

"No I don't! You know that I don't. But at least they will have each other."

"You don't know that. Maybe they will grow apart."

"They are twins. No matter how much they will grow apart, they still will the bonded to each other in a twisted way. They will _always_ have each other."

"It's still no excuse to not got to that parents meeting."

"So what do you want from me, huh?"

"I want you to go to that stupid parents get together, so that the mothers will finally stop asking me questions about the fatherhood! Because sadly the father of my children only went once to a stupid parents meeting. And it was the time when they all played football. All men played football. Because it was man's night. Of course you had to go that time!" she hissed at him.

Troy sighed and brushed through his sandy brown hair, "I will go. I will go with you and Emily and Johnathan. I will go and kiss you in front all of them. I will make sure we leave a good impression. I will make sure those _women_ will stop gossiping about me being the father. Because once they see us there as a family, they will shut their mouths. All of them." he said into her eyes, "Let's just not fight. Not tonight. Okay?" he asked her and fondled her cheek.

She nodded, giving in. "Okay." she said before she kissed him softly. "But you will bake for the parents meeting."

"Bake?"

"Yes. We will have a tea party at the Sawyer's house. And we have to bake. A cake. Or cookies. Or muffinis. We should make all three. Just to be sure."

"Mhm... I will make as much as you want." he said and kissed her again.

"How do you think Em and John would react if I were pregnant again?" she asked him as she leaned with her back against his shoulders.

"So you are pregnant."

"No I am not. I'm just going through some hypotheses with you."

"Mhm..."

"So what do you think?"

"Well, I think they would be cool about it. You know, Johnathan would say something like _'That's__cool.'_ or you know, _'I__hope__it's__a__boy.__I__need__a__brother.__Emily__is__getting__on__my__nerves.'_" he said and Gabriella laughed, "Emily on the other hand would be all BFF like. She would hug you and eventually me, but the first fifteen minutes would be all your's. She would congratulate us and hope for a little sister. She would tell all of her friends and be beyond excited..."

"Yeah, that would be Emily." Gabriella agreed and nodded. "They would be okay with it."

"You want another baby, don't you?" he asked her carefully.

Gabriella shrugged, "I think so. I mean lately every cell of my body has been screaming for it. My mother-heart started to beat faster and there was this glow in my eyes when I saw another pregnant artist walking into my studio. It reminded me of my pregnancy with the twins. Which was eight years ago." she said and looked at him, "I want another baby. I want another baby if you want one."

"So you want to start practicing." he said looking at her.

The brunette nodded. "Maybe it won't even work..."

"Don't start to think all negatively. We haven't even started!"

The brunette turned around and grinned, "You do know what that means, right?"

He nodded, "An uncountable amount of sex for me."

"And an uncountable amount of pieing on sticks for me." she said smiling before she kissed him.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you liked the chapter :).<strong>

**And, as requested, a link to their house: .com/realestateandhomes-detail/815-Cima-Del-Mundo-Rd_Santa-Barbara_CA_93108_M11314-34723?ex=CA521581744&cmid=1017590&source=web**

**** Please review.****

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	34. This one is mine

**Chapter 34: This one is mine**

_Twelve months later:_

"We have four days to ourselves and what do we do? Go to some charity event!" Gabriella said and brushed through her locks. "To make us public. Like they don't already know that we are together! I mean, parents must have seen you picking up the twins. Just like I picked them up at times. This is crazy."

"If they knew, then there would have been thousands of rumors of us hooking up all over the internet."

"Now you can't deny that there aren't any rumors."

"Of course there are rumors. There always will be rumors. But fact is, that there is no proof." he said and looked at her.

"But tonight, they'll get the proof." she said and looked out of the car window.

"Are you nervous?" Troy asked her.

The brunette turned her head to her boyfriend, facing away from the moving images. "Are you?"

He shook his head, "No." he answered and squeezed her hand softly.

"Then I am not nervous either." she said smiling before she turned her head around, to look out of the car window again.

"You seem nervous."

"Well, I am not." she answered as she watched the skyscrapers.

"We can still turn around and drive back. We don't have to do this." he explained.

She sighed, "We have to do this. Otherwise the press will keep on writing some horrible stuff about Emily's and Johny's parents. You want them to read that in a couple of years? I don't. And I rather do this at a charity event than at some Award show. Because we both know that this will create major media attention. So let's use this attention for something good. Like the help for kids who have cancer. It's a good decision. We made a good decision. It's gonna be a good night. Hectic and stressfull, but it will be a good one. Because once we are out there, I'm gonna forget all this mixed emotions I am feeling right now. I'm gonna seize the moment, enjoy it. Because it will be the first and last time I will be in the spotlight like that."

He nodded, "So you..."

"I've never been one who wants to have all the attention on her. I am fine by working in the background and giving back to those who need help the most. And I know that you are the opposite of me. You need to go out every once in a while. And you will, but just not with me. Because I don't like those Awards shows or Grammy's or Oscars or whatever. This is not my world. My world is right here. With you." she explained and the car stopped.

"Are you ready?" he asked her after a couple of seconds.

The brunette nodded, "Let's do this." she said before the door opened and Troy stepped out first.

The paparazzi's screamings made their way into Gabriella's ear. But she was not afraid. Not of this. Not with him.

Troy helped her getting out of the car and they were greeted by even more screaming paparazzi.

"Mr. Bolton! Over here!"

"Miss Montez! One smile!"

"At least they know that we are not married." she whispered into her boyfriend's ear and he smiled.

"It's still bothering you, isn't it?"

"Oh shut up!" Gabriella said and hit him slightly. Both laughed, making the flash lights appear even more often.

"You wanna take pictures?" he asked her.

"No." she answered simply and walked hands in hands to the entry. She tried to ignore all the screaming and those awfull flashlights, but it was hard.

Once both were in she brushed through her dark brown locks, "That was our first and last public appearance."

"Okay..." he accepted her decision. As long as he had one appearance with her, it was enough. "Let's do some charity." he suggested.

The brunette nodded, "Finally something which we can actually look forward to."

The dark blonde man raised an eyebrow, "Oh so you enjoy that your boyfriend will fall under the hammer in one hour?"

The brunette smile, "Yes, I love sharing you." she answered and stuck out her tongue before she hugged him, "Come on, it's for children with cancer. Besides, I can have one evening without you."

"Now what's that's suppose to mean?"

"Nothing." she answered and bit her lip, "Absolutely nothing."

"Mhm..." he said before he put his arm around her waist and they started to actually go in.

The ball room was decorated beautifully. The room was held in a light golden and white color. Tables with dishes were all over the room, a stage was in front. Above it was a sign, saying _Men__for__good__will_.

"Are you gonna bid for me?" he asked her as they walked over to their table.

The brunette shrugged, "Maybe."

"My girlfriend's answer is _Maybe_? _Seriously_?" he asked her, "Isn't there at least a little bit of jealousy when you think of me and another woman on a date?"

She shook her head, "Not a bit. You wanna know why?"

He nodded.

"Because I know that no matter how hot or how stinky that woman is going to be, you will come home after the date. You will come back to me. That's why I'm not jealous. Because you are mine and you always will be."

"And what if she's your twin sister?" he asked her, making the brunette laugh.

"Then I think I would have to have a serious talk with her." she answered and laughed again.

"Are you bidding for someone else then?"

She shrugged and nodded towards a man in a group, "You see that man in the dark grey suit?"

"Andrew Anderson. What about him?"

"I want to bid for him. I need to have one evening with him."

"Say _WHAT_?"

She giggled, "Chill. He's the manager of a newcomer. I heard a song from her on the internet. That girl's got some talent. And I would love to get her to sign with us. It would be good for the company."

"And you say I am all about work and no play. You're quite a workaholic yourself, Miss."

"Never said I wasn't..." she said grinning. "You think I am going to be able to get him?"

Her boyfriend shrugged, "He definitely has some style. It may be hard, considering all those single women here."

"Right, they either want you or him." she said and laughed.

"But then again, you're an eyecatcher as well..."

"_Troy_ Bolton?" a female voice asked and they both turned around.

"Melinda!" Troy said and hugged the woman, "It's good to see you."

"It's _good_ to see _you_. You have been absent from those events lately." the green eyed woman said to him and looked to Gabriella, "Oh, I'm Melinda Clark."

"Gabriella-"

"Montez. I know." the brunette woman said with a smile on her lips, "Nice to finally meet you, Gabriella." she answered. "Listen, are you going to fall under the hammer this time? Just think about Jessica and Amanda..."

"Unfortunatly, yes."

"Oh but I'm sure that Gabriella is going to bid for you as well."

"I don't think so." he answered.

"Why's that?" Melinda asked surprised, "I wouldn't have expected that Troy Bolton's girlfriend won't want to bid for him."

Gabriella shrugged, "Guess I'm full of surprises."

"Wait, you're bidding for someone else, aren't you?"

The brunette shrugged again, "Maybe, maybe not."

Melinda turned to Troy, "I like her. She's mysterious. Just what you need, Troy Bolton."

Troy smiled.

"Well, I guess I should be going now. I have to find my plus one... He has to be somewhere around..." Melinda said and walked away, "Nice seeing you again."

"So how do you like it so far?" he asked her as they got seated.

The brunette smiled, "It's not as bad as I thought it would be. Who's Melinda?"

"Is there someone jealous?" he asked her.

"No. Just wondering how you guys met."

"Aha..."

"So?"

"Huh?"

"How did you guys meet?"

"We're old friends. Met back in college. She studied Medicine."

"Did you..."

"No, we did not hook up. We're friends. Always have been, probably always will be."

"How close?"

"Not that close. We enjoy each other's company. It's easy to talk to her. But we lost contact after graduation. She went her way and I went mine."

"And now you guys meet at charity events."

"And now we meet at charity events." he echoed and kissed her.

"5.000 going once, going twice; sold for 5.000$!" the auctioneer said and hammered on the lectern. "Pay your money and get that man."

A man with dark brown hair, bright blue eyes and a black suite left the stage with a grin on his face.

"Next one is the famous Troy Bolton. Now we all know that you ladies want a piece of him. Just don't start a fight." the auctioneer, Charles, said as Troy walked on the stage. "Let's start with 1.000 $."

_"1.500!"_

_"2.000!"_

_"3.600!"_

_"4.000!"_

_"4.500!"_

"You're really not bidding on your boyfriend. Impressive." Melinda said to Gabriella, who was sitting next to her, taking a sip of her champagne.

"No. Because _I_ get him for free." Gabriella said and both women laughed.

"5.600!"

"6.200!"

"7.000!"

"Why aren't you bidding?" Gabriella asked her. "I mean, you guys could catch up. Talk about life, take a ride down the memory lane..."

Melinda smiled, "I'm waiting until those newly-rich women reach their limit. Then I am going to get him. I hope you don't mind."

"Oh no, I don't mind."

_"10.000!"_

_"35.000!"_

_"40.000!"_

"I guess you got yourself a hottie." another woman said to Gabriella, "Cecilia."

"Gabriella, nice to meet you." the brunette introduced herself with a soft smile.

_"50.000!"_

Suddenly silence filled the room.

"Alright, 50.000 going once, 50.000 going twice..."

"80.000!" a woman in the back screamed, holding up her sign with the number 308. She was wearing a dark red silk dress and she had black locks. Her eyes were chocolate brown and she was definitely from Latin America.

"What about you? I thought you wanted to bid as well." Gabriella whispered to Melinda.

"I'm not paying more than 80.000. A woman's gotta have a limit." Melinda explained.

Gabriella looked at Troy, who stared at the woman in the back.

"80.000 going once, going twice... And sold for 80.000$ to number 308!" Charles announced with a grin on his face.

"Well, well, I hope that there isn't someone worried about her boy toy." Cecilia sang into Gabriella's ear.

"Next one is Andrew Anderson, everyone. Ladies keep your hands steady, you wanna bid on this one." Charles said as the man in the dark grey suite walked up on the stage.

"Oh this one is mine..." Gabriella whispered.

_"8.000!"_

_"10.000!"_

_"15.000!"_

_"25.000!"_

_"25.200!"_

"They are reaching their limits..."

"Just wait a couple more seconds."

_"25.400!"_

_"25.600!"_

_"25.650!"_

"26.000!" Gabriella screamed holding up her number, 307.

"26 going once, going twice..."

"30.000!" the woman in the back screamed again. It was number 308.

"She already has my boyfriend. What, she wants my target now as well?" Gabriella asked helplessly. "35.000!"

"36.000!"

"37.000!"

"38.000!"

"40.000!" Gabriella yelled, making the woman in the back finally close her mouth.

"40 going once, going twice... And sold to number 307." Charles announced. "Alright ladies. That was our last. Come back next time."

Charles leaving was followed with several clappings.

"Guess, I'm gonna get my man right now." Gabriella said and got up.

"Why were you bidding on him anyways?" Melinda asked her.

"Business plans." she answered grinning.

"So, what does it take to conquer Troy Bolton's heart?" the brunette said in a seductive voice at the dinner table.

Troy Bolton smiled back. Why not flirt? It wasn't hurting anyone, was it? "It may be a lot or it may be nothing at all."

The woman took a sip of her white wine. "Why is the hottest bachelor still lonely?"

"Who said I am lonely?"

"How is live in the spotlight?"

The man shrugged and took a sip of his red wine, "What would you like to know?"

Gabriella was sitting at one of the fancy restaurants she had never been to, because she couldn't understand how people would spend 200$ on a salad. But she was here because she had business to do. And nothing but that.

"So why did you bid on me, Miss Montez?"

"Gabriella. And I have my reasons, Mr. Anderson."

"It's Andrew for you." he said and stared into the brunette's eyes. They had something special. You could get lost in those chocolate brown eyes. "So your reasons are...?"

"Well, it has nothing to do with my personal life, to be honest. I heard that you are the manager of Lana Del Rey." she answered.

The man's smile got bigger, "Of course the record companies are already after her..."

"I heard her song on the internet. She has talent. Potential I could work with. Make her a star."

"That's what they all say, Gabriella." Andrew said, sighing.

"But you know that I don't lie. I'm making stars with my songs." Gabriella said in the man's green eyes, "Give me some time with her and her next single will be a number one hit for at least 12 weeks. I guarantee you that. I stick to my words, Andrew." Gabriella ensured him as she took a sip of her water. "You know my work. Everyone does. There is not one song in the top ten right now, which wasn't written by me. I am excellent at what I do. So trust me."

"Mhm, you do have a good reputation. Although you are rarely in the spotlight, you seem to be working in the background just fine." he thought out loud.

The man sighed, "Alright. I give you a chance."

"Great. Let's meet up in a week. The contact will be ready by then." she said with a smile on her lips. "I'll make sure the office calls you."

"Why don't we get a little personal now after all this business talk, Gabriella?" he asked with a seductive smile on his lips.

The brunette opened the door of her mansion and was greeted by darkness and silence. He wasn't home yet.

She switched on the lights in the corridor and kicked off her shoes. Her thoughts were on their children. They must've had a good day with Ashley and Scott, her new boyfriend. Last time she spoke with them, they were at the zoo. They love the zoo.

Gabriella walked into the kitchen of the huge house and grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge. This night didn't turn out to be fun _at__all_. I mean, yeah she got what she wanted. She would sign the new artist... But that Anderson guy definitely couldn't help but flirt with her the rest of the evening. He even tried to kiss her. But Gabriella turned him down - friendly, but yet she turned him down.

Gabriella walked to the pool and sat down on a chair, staring at the stars. It was a beautiful night. The stars were shining clearly down at her. She loved nights like this.

She heard the door opening. Seconds later the door shut close and she heard footsteps in the house. Gabriella got off and walked back inside. "Hi." she greeted her boyfriend.

"You look hot tonight. Have I told you that?"

"You haven't. But I don't need to hear that from you." she said, eyeballing him. "How was your evening?"

Instead of giving her an answered he walked towards her and kissed her passionately. She tasted the alcohol. She tasted the 5.000$ wine in his mouth. And she felt his lust. His drunken lust for her. And she also felt his hands already unzipping her green dress.

She let go. "I won't have sex with you-"

He ignored that and kissed her again. His lips kissed her eagerly.

She pushed him away. "You are drunk. And I won't sleep with you when you are drunk. We both know that you are not yourself once you've drunken alcohol."

"I am not drunk, Gabriella."

"You don't have to admit it, but I know. I taste and see that you have drunken alcohol, Troy." she said and brushed through her dark brown locks. "I guess you enjoyed your evening then. I'm glad you liked it." she said into his shocked face before she started to walk up the stairs.

"You know, " he yelled after her, "if I wanted to have sex right now, I could have gotten it from Amber!"

"I'm not talking to you right now." she said in a cold voice. Amber was probably the woman who bid on him.

"She would want to!"

"Then go back to her for Christ's sake!" Gabriella yelled back from the first level. "You want sex? Get it somewhere else, Troy. Because there is no way we will have sex tonight. You want her? Go get her! You can have anyone you want. Anyone!" she explained to him.

"But I don't want her! I want you! I want you right now right here. But of course you have to be all diffucult and refusal on me!" he yelled at her.

"You know what? I'm not doing this. You can sleep in the guest room. There is no way I am fighting with you right now. Not when you're in this state."

"You have to accept that side of me as well, Gabriella! Because this is who I am!" he said as he walked up the stairs.

"I accept it, Troy. I know who you are. I know all sides of you. And I still love you. No matter how horrible you act towards me."

"Then I don't see your problem."

"I accept them, but that doesn't mean I have to sleep with you." she answered and walked towards their bedroom.

He stood there, unable to move. "I don't get you!"

The brunette did not respond with words. Instead she shut the door of the bedroom close. Leaving Troy Bolton all alone in the corridor of their mansion. The drunk man stood there for a couple more minutes, before he walked into one of their guestrooms.

* * *

><p><strong>A new chapter and a new link for the house, since the last one didn't work.<strong>

**New link: .com/realestateandhomes-detail/815-Cima-Del-Mundo-Rd_Santa-Barbara_CA_93108_M11314-34723?ex=CA521581744&cmid=1017590&source=web**

**Please review :)**

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	35. A little bit more control

**Chapter 35: A little bit more control**

The next morning Troy Bolton got greeted by the door tearing open. Then the sunlight made its way onto his face, after he heard the curtans moving. He growled. The next noise was the glas, which got placed on the night stand. It was a horrible loud voice which filled Troy's ear. It didn't really go well with his headache.

"There's an aspirin next to the water. It's already 10 a.m., you should get up." Gabriella's voice filled his ears.

"What happened last night?" he asked her as he felt the headache. "Ow..." he said as he opened his eyes. This wasn't their bedroom. This was one of their guestrooms. Damn it, he really must've screwed it up.

"You don't remember?"

"Last thing I remember is a woman in a red dress bidding for me." he answered slowly, hoping he didn't say too much.

Gabriella nodded, "You had a little bit too much fun with her last night." she said and walked out.

Why was she pissed? Troy got up and took the aspirin before he followed her. "Why are you pissed?"

"I am pissed because you can't even control yourself for _one_ night, Troy!" she yelled at him. "That's exactly why I won't have any public appearances with you. Because you got beyond drunk last night! Beyond!" she yelled.

"Could you lower your voice?" he asked her slowly.

"NO!" she yelled to his face. "I thought this weekend would be good for us. But so far, this is a disaster, Troy!" she said.

The man sighed and brushed through his hair, "I am sorry. Whatever I said or did, I am sorry."

"That's not the point! I don't want you to be sorry. I want you to be more aware of your actions. What you did last night wasn't very grown up. You did not act like an adult. Leave alone like a parent of two nine year olds." she explained to him.

"There's nothing I can do but feel sorry for it."

"No there is something you can do. You have to quite doing what you did last night. You have to start acting like a parent instead of a single man! But the problem is, you still feel like a single man! I couldn't hold you ten years ago and I still can't! That's why I didn't want to get back to together in the first place. That's-"

"Stop." he said into her eyes.

"Why? Because my voice is making your headache even worse? I don't care about-"

"No, but because you're about to say things, you will regret saying." he answered, although she was right.

"You don't know me!" she yelled back and heard Roxy running to her.

"Oh yes I do, Gabriella. How do you think I-"

The brunette turned around and walked down the stairs. Without looking back. The Australian Shepheard stood still for a couple of seconds, before she got up and followed the brunette.

"Gabriella! Get back here."

She did not respond. Instead, she walked through the living room into the kitchen.

Troy sighed and walked into the master bedroom, to get dressed. She had to calm down. But she was right. He must've done something horribly wrong last night. And he needed to stop acting like a bachelor. He needed to stop flirting with other women. Because in the end, he knew that he didn't want them. He always would want her. And he couldn't let anything happen that would make him lose her again.

The brunette sat on a couch in the wintergarden, starring out of the window. It was a rainy day in Santa Barbara. A rainy day in California. She watched the rain drops flowing down the french windows. It was also already cold in the city. She wrapped the cozy blanket around her body and brushed through her dark brown locks. She should have seen it coming. She should have known that something like this would happen. She should have known that getting back together was a bad idea. She should have known.

Her thoughts got interrupted by two cups of hot green tea, which got placed on the glas coffee table next to her. But she did not look at him. She kept staring out of the window, watching the rain.

He sat next to her, "I brought you tea. Green tea."

She remained silent.

"I know that what I did last night was wrong. I absolutely did not act like an adult. I acted like a seventeen year old, who got home after a party. It was inappropriate and I am sorry for that." he apologized and fondled her cheek.

She pushed away his hand and remained silent.

"Alright." he said and nodded, "I guess I deserve that."

The brunette turned her head around and stared at him. For minutes, she stared into his bright blue eyes. And for the first time, in a long time, she did not get lost in them. He was sorry, she knew that. She saw that. But she was not going to forgive him just like that. It wasn't because of last night, I mean yeah it did play a role but it was more about the principles.

"I'm going for a walk with Roxy." she said and got up. "You should take a bath."

He watched her walking into the kitchen, wondering if she ever will forgive him.

Gabriella walked down at the beach, throwing a couple of sticks once in a while, making Roxy ran in the sand. It was windy today. Windy and rainy at the beach. Although it was a bad morning, she passed several joggers, who ran their ordinary routines. The waved were crashing against each other, it was almost stormy.

But Gabriella didn't care. She didn't care how the weather was. All she knew was she had to get away from the house. Well, mainly from him. She had to have some space. Some time to think. Time to calm down. Time to relax.

Suddenly Roxy started barking. "Roxy, out!" Gabriella yelled at the dog.

She stopped immediately and looked at Gabriella.

The woman walked to her dog and saw that she had been barking at a man. A man she knew.

"Andrew, how nice to see you again." the brunette said with a fake smile on her lips as she peted Roxy.

"Gabriella, I didn't know you live here."

"Well I don't. I live up in the hills actually." she explained. "Sorry about Roxy. She tends to bark at strangers. Something I couldn't change yet."

"What race is she? Australian Shepherd?"

Gabriella nodded, "Yeah..."

"I had one when I was four... His name was Bo."

"What happened?"

"He had cancer. Two years later he died."

"Must've been hard for you..."

Andrew shrugged, "That's life. You get born and eventually you die."

Gabriella nodded, "Well it was nice seeing you again, Andy." she added before she walked away with Roxy following her.

Andrew turned around and watched her leaving him. This woman had something special. She was nice, had humor... She was a wonderfull woman.

Three hours later, Gabriella opened the trunk of the Range Rover Sport and let Roxy out of the car as well. The Australian Shepherd was all dirrty from the sand and wet from the rain as well as the water from the ocean.

"Alright, Roxy. Now you're going to have a shower to get all this dirt from you. How does that sound?" Gabriella asked as she peted her.

The dog responded with a loud bark and walked to the front door.

Gabriella opened the door of the Spanish house and let Roxy walk into the closest bathroom. She smiled as she watched the dog jumping into the bathtube. She would never understand why, but this dog loved getting a shower. The brunette got out of her shoes and took off her wet jacket before she walked into the bathroom as well. That long walk on the beach was just what she needed. She was feeling better now, relieved in some way.

After Gabriella cleaned up Roxy, she hoped into the shower herself. The hot water rained down on her cold body and it felt _so_ good to not have to worry about anything for a couple of minutes. This was the only time when she stoped thinking. She stoped worrying as well. She just enjoyed the hot water on her skin.

The house was filled by a delicious smell. And the smell was coming from the kitchen. Gabriella walked into the kitchen with a towel around her head and a robe wrapped around her body. He was cooking. He's a great cook. He always was. It was his way of apologizing. If the tea-thing didn't work.

Gabriella stood in the kitchen, watching him cutting vegetables for a salad. Then he turned around and saw her. "You're back."

"You're cooking." she said.

"Yeah. Dinner will be ready in five minutes." he announced and smiled softly.

She did not smile back. Instead she walked out of the room.

"Come on! You can't be mad at me forever!" he yelled after her.

She did not respond. She remained silent as she walked up the stairs and into the masterbedroom's bathroom where she blow dried her hair.

After blow dring her hair, the brunette stared at her reflection in the mirror. For minutes she looked at herself, not saying a word, not moving an inch. Then she opened the drawer under the sink and got out a squaretic little box. She took a deep breath before she opened the packaging, "Okay, let's find out."

The whole dinner was filled with silence. Neither of them talked. Neither of them knew what to say.

"The Ham is good." Gabriella answered.

"Are we going to talk about this or not?"

"What is there to talk about, Troy? You're not going to change. I am not mad at you because of what you did last night. It's about the principles." she explained.

He shrugged, "What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to stop acting like a bachelor when you are a father of two nine year olds."

"But I am-"

"No you are not. And this is my problem. That's exactly why I don't like those events. Because once you take a sip of any alcoholic drink, you change. You flirt like a hero! You don't know who you are any more. That's what alcohol does to you."

"Oh you're one to talk to."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"You are the same! You're just like me."

"That's not true! I used to be like you still are. But I changed. I changed nine years ago and there is no way I am going to change back. I quit drinking alcohol and you should also."

"Don't tell me what to do!"

"Fine then don't. But you should be more aware of the effect that alcohol has on you." she said and got up.

"Why are you running away again?"

The bruntte turned around, "I am not. I just decided to clean up." she explained.

"Look, I am sorry."

"I know you are. But sorrow won't help you."

"Then what do you want me to do?" he asked her helplessly.

"If I knew, I would tell you." she answered as she walked into the kitchen, holding the dirty dishes. "This situation is just as frustrating for you as it is for me. But the problem is, what if Emily and Johnathan were home? You think they would want to see their father in such a state?" she asked and brushed through her dark brown locks. "It's not just about me, Troy. It is about them as well. And my first concern are they."

"It's not gonna happen again."

"Oh you say that now, but just wait until there's another even coming up..."

"Gabriella-"

"Look, I am not forbidding you to go to those events, but you have to learn how to control yourself. That's what I am asking of you. To have a little more control."

He nodded and walked over to her to embrace his arms around her waist, "Okay."

"Okay..." she said and placed her forehead against his.

"Are we good again?"

"Yeah..." she said and felt his lips on hers seconds later.

* * *

><p><strong>New chapter :)<strong>

**I posted the link to their house in my profile, so make sure you check it out.**

**Please review.**

**Xoxo Nic**

**P.S.: The next chapter is coming out tomorrow :)  
><strong>


	36. What does that mean?

**Chapter 36: What does that mean?**

The next morning Troy Bolton got up from the bed and started to look for his boxershorts. As he couldn't find it, he walked into the walk-in closet and got out fresh black Armani boxershorts. Inside the drawer he saw the little box he knew all to well. Inside that box was a ring he picked out two months ago. And yet he didn't have the courage to ask her.

Troy opened the box and looked at the ring for a couple of seconds. The diamonds were sparkling all too well. It was the perfect ring. For the perfect woman.

He changed into the boxershorts and slowly walked to the bathroom. He stopped as he saw his love sleeping in the bed, covered with the silk beige sheets. And she snored again. She had snored for the whole night, but it did not bother him. Not as much as it did the last time she snored. Which was a long time ago.

He smiled as he walked into the bathroom. He washed his hands and brushed his teeth. He looked into the mirror, facing his reflection. Then he spit out the toothpaste and saw the packaging of a pregnancy test in the wodden trash can. His eyes started to look eagerly for the test strip all over the bathroom. But it was no where to be found.

Gabriella were still sleeping in the silk sheets, not even having an idea of what was about to be find in the bathroom.

He opened the drawer under the sink. There it was. The test stripe.

He picked it up and walked back into the bedroom.

Then he sat down next to Gabriella, who clearly was still sleeping. "Gabriellla..." he whispered into her ear.

"No. Let me sleep." she answered in a sleepy voice.

"Gabi..."

"What is so important that you _have_ to wake me up?" she asked him in a cranky voice.

"I think there's something we should talk about."

"How about we do that later _after_ I've had my beauty sleep?" she asked him and pulled the pillow over her head.

"Sweetie..."

"Fine." she said and pulled the pillow away, to lift herself. "What is so important that you had to wake me up and, I don't know, couldn't wait for a couple of hours?"

"What does that mean?" he asked the brunette holding up the teststripe.

Her eyes widened. She totally forgot about the test. Somehow between fighting and making up, she forgot about the pregnancy test. This wasn't like her. She has never forgotten such things. "I don't know. You tell me. What does it show?"

He took a closer look at the white teststripe, "Two lines. Two think black lines."

The brunette nodded but remained silent.

"Helloooo? Do I get anything other than a nodd? Does that mean you're pregnant or not?"

"It means that you will have to deal with a third child very soon." she answered with a smile on her lips.

He returned her smile and let the test fall on the ground, "You're pregnant."

"I'm pregnant." she echoed with the smile growing every second passing.

"You're pregnant." he said again and kissed her passionately.

The brunette returned his passion filled kiss and pulled him closer.

"Now if that's not worth waking you up, I don't know what is." he whispered against her lips.

"Oh shut up and kiss me." she said and felt his lips crashing against hers seconds later.

"We should go out tonight. To celebrate." Troy suggested as Gabriella was looking for something to wear in their closet.

"I don't know. It's still a little early to start celebrating, Troy." she said as she got out a pair of jeans, "I mean, if my calculation was right, then I am only nine weeks. Which is soon. There's a great chance I will have a miscarriage. A great chance, Troy."

"I am still taking you out. We haven't been out in ages. We will go out tonight, Gabriella."

The brunette smiled over her shoulder as she watched him getting dressed. "Okay. We'll go out tonight."

"Good." he said and kissed her softly, "I have some place to go."

"Where?" she asked him, already worried.

He shrugged, "I'll know when I am there."

"You don't expect me to believe that, do you?" she asked him suspcious.

He shrugged again, "Nothing but the truth." he said and left her alone in the closet.

"Okay..." she said and put on a white t-shirt. Seconds later Roxy walked into the closet.

Gabriella bend down, "Hey, do you know where he is going?"

The dog responded with a loud bark.

"Oh, if only you were able to talk..."

He had everything planned out. He had planned this night a million times in his head. He reorginazied every single detail over and over again. Until it was perfect.

Perfect for the perfect night. He would do it tonight. Tonight would be perfect.

With candles and all that stuff. In the sunset. It would be romantic. Something both, she and he, like. Although the weather wasn't exactly the best... He would do it in New York City. In the same hotel room she stayed in when he had sent her away. To realize what he should have known all along. That he loved her and that she was the only one for him.

He had already bought the tickets. And he had packed up two suitcases with their stuff in it. Then he checked in hours earlier than the actually flight is. To make sure she wouldn't notice the suitcases in the trunk.

He made sure everything was perfect.

"So where exactly are you taking me?" the brunette asked, moving her head away from the window.

"You'll see." he answered, trying to see something in this storm.

"The weather is going _crazy_... I don't know how you are able to drive in this storm. This is horrible."

"Well, I promised you to take you out tonight. I keep my promises." he answered, looking at the brunette.

Gabriella smiled at him, "You're not going to tell me where our destination is, will you?"

"No. But I can promise you that you will like it."

"So it's not a fancy restaurant?"

He nodded, "Not a fancy restaurant. I know you hate that."

"True. I still can't understand how people would waste so much money on so little food..."

"Although your best friend's boyfriend, aka your best male friend, is the owner of a lot of fancy restaurants."

"What's that suppose to mean?" she snapped at him.

He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it very quickly. "Nothing." he added after thinking about his answer.

"No, tell me. Tell me what you think." she demanded.

"It's a little ambiguous, don't you think?"

"Ambiguous? What's there to be ambiguous?"

"You eat at those restaurants, don't you?"

"Oh you mean, I won't go to fancy restaurants, but I go to Mike's?" she nearly yelled at him, "He's my best friend for Christ's sake!"

"Still."

"Still what?"

"Perhaps having a dinner in one of those fancy restaurants. I mean, the meals are expensive for a reason."

"To be honest, I am a better cook than lots of those cooks in those fancy restaurants. You cook better than them. Perhaps you should open up a restraunt yourself. See how that goes." she suggested. "A change of career. What do you think about that, Mr. _Troy__Bolton_?" she snapped at him.

"You should cool down."

"Cool down? You're not telling me what to do right now, are ya?" she asked him surprised. "I am cooling down when _I_ decide to. Not because you are demanded so."

"I am not demanding anything." he said looking at her. "I was just suggesting-"

"Suggesting? You were **not**suggesting!" she yelled at him. "I can't believe that after ten years, we're still having troubles like we've just gotten into a relationship!"

"Are you-"

"Stop being all shrinky on me!" she snapped at him.

"I am not trying to pull the shrink out there!" he answered in a loud voice.

"Just because you are a music producer _and_ a have the licence to be a shrink, does not mean you have the right to analyse me!" she screamed at him, "Watch the road. There's a red traffing light." she demanded as she saw that he glanced at her.

"Oh so now you get to be all demanding on me, but I am not able to analyse you?" he asked her. "You know, just because-"

"Stop the car!" she yelled as she saw about to jump him a red light.

The black Range Rover Sport stoped just in front of the crossroads.

"SERIOUSLY?" she asked him, shocked.

Troy was silent. Silent _and_ shocked. "I was not trying to analyse you, Gabriella."

"We just nearly jumped a red light and all _you_ can think about is that you were not _analysing__me_?" she asked him shocked.

He looked at her, "What do you want me to say?"

"Nothing." she said and saw the green light in the corner of here eyes, "Just drive the freaking car."

"Don't try to blame the car, Gabriella. Your anger is not on the car. It's on me."

"Stop doing that!" she yelled at him. "Stop analysing me, like I am some patient!"

"I am not-"

"Eyes on the road." she demanded as he was about to look at her again.

"My point is, I am not analysing you. I am just trying to-"

"Oh but you are! Troy Bolton, the shrink! You know what? You shouldn't be a producer. You should be a shrink instead! Maybe then, and only then, you will stop analysing your girlfriend and children!"

"Gabriella-"

"You know what? You should do that. That's probably the best idea I've _ever_ had! It's better than deciding to work in the background instead of the spotlight like you. It's better than..." she shook her head, "Best idea ever. You really should do that."

"Are you _serious_?"

She nodded, "As serious as I can be right now."

"This is ridiculous and you know it!"

"It's not. It's the truth."

He looked at her shocked. "Truth? There's no truth in those words of your's!" he yelled at her. "I mean, how could you-"

"Watch the road." the brunette answered.

"You're just being insane right now!"

"Insane? I am not the crazy one right here."

"Oh so I am?"

"Yes! Yes, because you are-"

"This is freaking ridiculous, Gabriella! You need to calm down."

"There! You're doing it again! Telling me what to do. You just can't quit it, can you?" she asked him as they stoped at another red traffic light.

He shrugged, "What'cha want me to do, Gabs? I can't change who I am. And if you can't accept-"

"Oh no, don't try to make me the bad one here!" she said to him. "It's green."

The Range Rover Sport started to drive into the crossroads, turning right. Suddenly a huge truck jumped over a red light, driving strictly towards them...

"Watch out!" the brunette yelled, watching the dark enormous track driving towards them.

Troy governed the wheel as far left as possible, but the truck was coming dangerously close to them.

The brunette's head turned over to Troy, looking into his crystal blue eyes. His eyes stared back into her chocolate brown one's. There was no time for words. But that one glance said enough. Then she felt the truck hitting them, harder than she could ever imagine.

The Range Rover Sport flipped over, hurling both humans out of the car.

Covered with blood and shattered glass, Gabriella lay on the hard asphalt. But she was alive. With pain in her chest and legs, she was breathing on the road. She survived. Survived something, she didn't thought she would.

Gabriella slowly got up, feeling that probably one arm was broken and her left ankle was sprained. But she was okay. Alive.

She looked around herself, seeing that the truck looked pretty damaged as well. If the driver was still alive, she didn't know. And it wasn't important to her. Not now anyway.

Her eyes stared to look desperately for the one human who has her heart. Her vision was a little blurry and she was feeling dizzy. But he was no where. No where around her. The brunette wanted to walk around the car, but something was making it hard for her. Confused, she looked down her body. The grey Chanel dress was all bloddy, her white Louboutins were bloddy as well. There was a bar, which was in her right tigh. A bar of diameter of about 1cm and the length of 15cm. So it wasn't huge. And she didn't even felt it. She was painless. Painless when she thought about that bar. Without any regrets, she walked to the other side of the car. She walked over millions of pieces of shattered glass. Then there was the smell of gasoline. It was the first time she noticed that smell. She didn't like it. It meant not a lot of times to find him. Which made her heart beat only faster than it already was. If that was possible.

She found him lieing on the other side of the car. Covered with shattered glass and a lot of blood. He was lieing there, not moving. Was he breathing? She was hoping so.

"Troy!" She ran over to him, feeling the bar in her right tigh for the first time. Yeah, it did kinda hurt.

Then she bend down and put her ear above his mouth, to hear if he was still breathing. And he was. Thank god, he was!

Suddenly a man appeared next to her, checking his pulse. "I'm Dr. Hamilton. Don't worry, I already called an ambulance. You will be fine."

"What about-"

"Your husband is still breathing. Unconsious, but breathing. His pulse is low. He probably broke one arm. And he has an open fracture on his leg. But it will be okay. Everything will be fine." the man answered, looking at her for the first time. "Are you okay?" he asked her worried.

The woman nodded, "I am fine."

He eyeballed her, "Miss, do you know that you have a bar in your right tigh?" he asked her worried.

She nodded, "It's nothing. It doesn't even hurt. Plus, I was able to walk here, so it isn't that bad. Or maybe it is, but I just don't feel it due to the adrenalin, which is streaming through my veins right now. But it doesn't hurt. At least not now. I don't feel any pain right now."

"What about your head? Does it hurt?"

She shook her head and touched her forehead. It was all bloody and smeary, "Not really. I mean, I feel a little dizzy and my vision is still kinda blurry, but it will be okay. I am fine. I'm just worried about him, that's all."

He nodded and took a closer look to her forehead, "Well the wound isn't that deep. A couple of stitches and you will be fine. What about breast pain? Do you have trouble breathing?"

Suddenly she noticed that it was harder for her to breath. Harder than it was before. "Well, yeah. A little bit." she answered the doctor's question, already hearing the siren of the ambulance. There were almost here. That was good. "Is he going to survive?"

Dr. Hamiltion smiled softly, "I will do the best I can to make sure you and your husband will stay alive."

Gabriella smiled softly and saw something sparkling on the asphalt behind the doctor with the green eyes. Something tiny was shining in the lights of the lanterns.

"What happened?" he asked her, trying to keep her talking.

"It was a car accident. We were about to turn right when that truck came out of nowhere. It hit us. Pretty hard, I assume, now seeing how far away we are from the crossroads. Is anyone else hurt?"

"You mean the other driver?"

"No, I don't care about him. I mean, as in another person. I didn't quite look for anyone else but him. He's important to me. Very important." she said, feeling tears coming down her cheeks.

"No one else is hurt but the driver, your husband and you."

"We're not married, although we do have kids."

"Then your boyfriend. What are the childrens name?"

"Emily and Johnathan. Both nine. Twins." she answered, her eyes still focused on the shiny thing in the background.

"What is your name?"

"Gabriella. Gabriella Montez." she answered, her eyes moving to Troy. "That's Troy Bolton."

"Chris." the doctor said, "I think we should call each other by first name."

"Is it that bad?" she asked him worried.

"He has some internal bleedings. But the ambulance will be here soon. So don't worry."

She got up.

"Gabriella, you shouldn't be moving-"

"You just make sure the love of my life is not dieing." she answered in a daze as she reached down and picked up the tiny shining thing. It was a ring. A diamond ring. A beautiful ring. A diamond engagement ring. For her. An engagement ring for her. From him. An engagement ring. A _beautifull_ engagement ring. The perfect engagement ring for her.

Her mouth dropped. He wanted to propose tonight. To her. An engagement ring...

"The ambulance is here. Are you okay?" doctor Hamilton asked her concerned.

"Not really..." she answered as she turned around, feeling that she was losing consciousness.

* * *

><p><strong>The link to the engagement ring is in my profile.<br>**

**There's a twisted epiloge coming up. I'm gonna upload it tomorrow, since tomorrow is Halloween :)**

**It's something different than you _all_ would expect. I've never written anything like that before, so I hope you will like the epiloge.**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I have enjoyed writing it. There will not be a sequel. But I am thinking of writing another story, with Troy and Gabriella being the main focus. The story would take place in a boarding school.**

**Tell me what you think about this chapter _and _about the new story idea.**

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


	37. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

_"You just make sure the love of my life is not dieing." she answered in a daze as she reached down and picked up the tiny shining thing. It was a ring. A diamond ring. A beautiful ring. A diamond engagement ring. For her. An engagement ring for her. From him. An engagement ring. A beautifull engagement ring. The perfect engagement ring for her._

_Her mouth dropped. He wanted to propose tonight. To her. An engagement ring..._

_"The ambulance is here. Are you okay?" doctor Hamilton asked her concerned._

_"Not really..." she answered as she turned around, feeling that she was losing consciousness._

The hammering on the iron door ripped Gabriella Montez out of her dream. One of her many many dreams of _him_. Of someone she didn't know, but yet she felt like she knew him for eternity. It was always the same man. For the year she had been here, she have had those dreams. Dreams of him. 365 days passed and every single night she had dreamt of him. In her dreams, she was having a life with him. A life, she wanted to have _so__badly_. A life outside of this cage. A life behind the iron door. A life next to _this_.

"Montez, your new psychiatrist is ready to meet ya." His name's Dean. The male nurse's name is Dean. He had been here for a year as well. "Get dressed. Be ready in five." he said before she heard him walking away.

The brunette got up and washed her face in the sink, which was in her room. Her reflection didn't change since she got here. It was still... Lifeless.

She brushed her teeth and combed through her dark brown locks, before she put them in a ponytail. Then she quickly changed from her pyjamas into jeans and a shirt.

She wasn't in the mood for a new psychiatrist. Her last one, Doctor Turner, was a very good one. Gabriella liked her. A lot. It was her, who nearly got her out of here. It was her, who told her she would be out in just a couple of months. And now she was gone. Left her here all alone. Alone behind the iron door.

The iron door opened and a male nurse walked in, "Come on, let's go."

Gabriella nodded and started walking behind Dean. "How long are you going to be here? I mean, it's been a year."

"Don't worry, I'll be out here sooner than you think."

"Yeah, I thought the same..." she said with a smile on her lips, "Why is Dr. Turner giving my case away?"

"She's not. She just wants some other psychiatrist to talk to you. To have another opinion."

"Oh..." Gabriella said as they reached her office.

Dean opened the door and Gabriella walked into the empty office. For the first time, she noticed that there was rain outside. She saw the rain through the windows and heard the thunders as well.

"She'll be here any second. Just sit down and wait." Gabriella nodded before the door closed. Then she walked over to the window, to watch the raindrops. She loved the rain. There was something calming about the rain. Perhaps that's why she had dreamt about the crazy weather this time. Maybe the weather somehow influenced her dreams. Or maybe this was just bullshit and there was no connection at all between her, the weather and her dreams.

"Ah Gabriella, I see you're already here." she heard Dr. Turner's voice and turned around. She was wearing a purple blouse with a black pencil skirt and black heels. Her dark blonde hair was open.

"Yes, I am already here." Gabriella agreed with her and sat down on the couch. "Why have you called me in?"

"How long have you been having those dreams, Gabriella?" she asked her worried.

The brunette knew she shouldn't have told her. She shouldn't have mentioned it the last time they spoke. Now, she's only going to have to be here longer. But she decided not to lie about it. It wouldn't make any difference anyway. "Since I got here. A year ago."

"And they were all dreams about this man?"

She shrugged, "Not all of them. At least not at the beginning. But they all turned out to be about him at some point. Even if he didn't appear. He was always a subject."

"Could you describe the man for me once more?"

Troy Bolton sat in the room next to his aunt's office and looked at the chart of the woman she was just talking to. He couldn't believe that he was here. That he made this decision.

_Flashback_

_"You're very hard to reach these days..." Violett Turner said over the phone._

_"I know. But work's just being a little time consuming right now..." Troy Bolton answered as he sat down on his couch in this living room. It had been another long day at the hospital._

_"Speaking of work: How is working as a psychaitrist going so far?"_

_"It's good."_

_"Met any crazy people yet?"_

_He__laughed,__"They__are_all_crazy__here.__Would__be__nice__to__talk__to__a__normal__person__again."_

_"We should meet up for lunch then."_

_"I would love to, but I can't. I already have plans."_

_"Does that mean, you finally have a woman in your life?"_

_"It's not like I don't have any women in my life."_

_"One night stands don't count."_

_"But what about-"_

_"Neither does dating. When was the last time you were in a relationship?"_

_"Six months ago. And I am doing fine."_

_"Mhm... Speaking of which, I am kind of wondering if..."_

_"If what?"_

_"If you wanted to come by my office in the next couple of days?"_

_"Why would I wanna do that?"_

_"Because there's this patient..."_

_"Are you trying to hook me up with a patient of your's?" he asked her shocked._

_"Look, she's not just any patient. Her case is somehow special."_

_"Why? Because she's another anorexic model?"_

_"No, but because she got abused by her father. With her mother knowing it. And her little sister got abused as well."_

_"That doesn't make her special. It makes her pitifull."_

_"She killed her father in presence of her mother. Killed him with a single shot. Before, she hit him with a lamp. He had argued with his wife and was hitting her."_

_"So it was self-defence."_

_"That's the problem, it wasn't. She waited until this day to kill her father. Make him pay for what he had done over the years to her mother, her little sister and lastly herself. After the murder she called the police."_

_"She charged herself?" he asked her surprised._

_"She charged herself, but before that she tried to kill herself. An overdosis."_

_"And then what?"_

_"Now she's here."_

_"Why do you want me to meet her?"_

_Violett remained silent. Perhaps there was no connection between the both of them. Maybe he wasn't the man Gabriella was dreaming of. Maybe this was just wrong._

_But he would fit into all the categories. He would fit into the picture. It was worth a try."Are you having weird dreams lately? Dreams which tell a whole story? Which show a whole different..."_

_"Why?"_

_"So you have them. What are they about?"_

_"I dream about a woman."_

_So it was possible. "For how long?"_

_"Two weeks maybe. Ever since the wedding of my Dad and Kelly."_

_"Ever since you took the name Bolton as your last name... What does she look like?"_

_"Dark brown long locks, chocolate brown eyes... About 5.6 tall. She's beautifull. There is something seductive about her. Not only it is her smile, not only the appearance... There's something about her character. She seems like the perfect woman. With flaws. Flaws which make her human - human and perfect for me... Or at least in my dreams."_

_She smiled. He was talking about her, the way she was talking about him. "Do you have a name?"_

_"I call her Gabi in my dreams."_

_"You know someone named Gabi?"_

_"No, never have I met a woman named Gabi. Or Gabriella. That's probably her full name. Yeah, I think I did call her Gabriella once." he said, sounding dreamy... Like he was in another world. The world of his dreams._

_"Come to my office and you will meet a woman named Gabriella."_

_End of Flashback_

The man sighed. How could he have made such a reckless decision? This woman was probably some insane person, who didn't even know what date it was.

He ran his fingers through his hair as he opened the chart. There was no picture. It was the first chart he had seen which had no picture of the patient. She was born in Phoenix. Raised in New York. She had one little sister. Her name was Anna. Her father was a famous laywer. Her mother a real-estate agent. Her sister was nowadays at High School. In her senior year. She was about to graduate. Gabriella herself, graduated four years ago. Then she went to Yale, studied Medicine for four years. Her major focus was on neurology. She had already gone through the four years of undergraduate school while she was in High School. Her grades were beyond excellent and she needed to speed up the process, to keep herself busy. A note from his aunt told him that she wanted to be a neurologist, before everything happened. She wanted to understand what the hell was wrong in the crazy people mind's if they did something like her father had done to her. But her study stopped when she killed her father. Yale threw her out after they heard what happened. But she was aware of those consequences. It was worth it. For her.

"The reason why I ask you this now, is because I know someone who has had dreams himself. Dreams he can't explain. Dreams which feel as real to him, as your dreams are to you. He says his dreams are not a reflection of something. It's like he has a whole life beside the one he has when he is awake."

"Really?" she asked him interested.

"Yes. And I want you to meet him. Maybe this will help you in some way."

"Dr. Turner, before this person comes in... How are the chances that I will get out of here soon?"

Dr. Turner smiled at her, "I don't think you are a danger to yourself anymore. Which means, you will be out here really soon."

"Really soon is not enough." Gabriella urged.

"In about a week." she said smiling.

The brunette returned her smile, "And this meeting won't change anything?" she asked her suspiciously.

"Well, it might speed things up. However this meeting turns out, you will be out of here in about a week."

"Okay... Let's meet this man." she said and smilied.

"I'll go get him. But I won't be in the room with you. I think it's better this way." she said and got up.

"What if I kill him while you're gone?" the brunette joked.

"Not funny." she said as Gabriella laughed her heart out.

"A joke... I am just kidding. I won't kill him, I promise."

"She's ready for you."

Troy looked up from her chart, straight into Violett's blue eyes. "She's not going to kill me, is she?"

"Why would you say that?" she asked him confused. Maybe they had some twisted connection.

"Well, she seems to have a heart made of ice." he said pointing at her chart, "She doesn't regret anything she has ever done in her life. Ever."

"How far did you come with your reading?" she asked her 23-year old nephew.

"Well, July 23rd."

"That's only three days after she got here. She made a lot of progress. In fact, I'm going to release her in a week. Maybe earlier. It depends on how this meeting will go. But fact is, she's no longer a danger to herself. Nor to her enivorment."

"From what I've read, she's reckless."

"But being reckless does not mean you are insane, Troy. Trust me, she's perfectly normal. You wouldn't notice that this woman was in a psychiatry for a year if you met her on the street. In fact, she wouldn't even tell you."

"No she would. This woman would tell you to find out how you react. If your feelings towards her change. She likes to test people."

"And you found that out by one reading the first two notes?" Violett asked him.

He shrugged, "I am good at my job."

Violett smiled, "She's normal, Troy. Just like you and me are."

"Okay. You got me convinced." he said with the chart in his hands and got up, "But if I do get killed... Then this is all your fault."

She laughed as she watched her nephew walking out of the room.

Why was she always dreaming about him? She asked herself as she watched the raindrops through the window. Why was it always him and no one else? And why was she living a whole different life with him in her dreams? Was it God's way to show her that there was some kind of life, beside the one here? Was it God's way to show her that everything would be okay when she got out of here? Why was she having these dreams? Dreams which tortured her and pleased her at the same time?

He opened the door, with his eyes stuck on her chart. Stuck on a quote from her, saying: _"When__I__feel__pain,__I__keep__on__going.__When__I__am__about__to__pass__out,__I__go__on.__Nothing__can__stop__me.__No__one__can.__When__I__get__something__into__my__head,__I__will__do__anything__to__get__that.__Does__that__make__me__crazy?__If__so,__I__don't__care.__Call__me__crazy.__Make__me__spend__my__life__in__this__prison.__But__I__won't__ever__regret__what__I__did."_

"Hello, I'm Dr. Bolton. Miss Montez, why don't you tell me something about your dreams?" he said, with his eyes still on the chart.

Gabriella looked up and couldn't believe her eyes. "You..." she said shocked, seeing the matching man to the voice. The voice she had heard so many times in her dreams. The man she had dreamed about for a year. It was clearly him. No doubt, he was the man of her dreams.

"What?" he asked her confused and looked up. He couldn't believe his eyes as well. It was the woman from his dreams. The dreams he has had for two weeks.

"I dream about you. I... I thought you were just some fictional figure... I-I didn't think..." she said, still shocked. "But you are real."

He sat down on the chair, looking at his opponent. "What are you dreaming about?" he asked her in a cold voice. It was hard for him to remain cool, when this was anything but a cool situation.

"I dream about a whole life. A different life than this one."

He nodded and wrote something down. "Describe one dream for me."

Gosh, this was embarrassing. But the brunette didn't care. "Well the very first dream took place in a bar. Joe's bar in Los Angeles."

He nodded again and wrote something in her chart.

"What are you writing down?"

"Go ahead. Continue with your description." he said, not answering her question.

"Well I was there with a woman named Adriana. I called her namely Aid, because she was my cousin. I was drinking a lot in that bar. Mainly Tequila."

"Do you know a woman named Adriana?"

"No. Never met a woman named Adriana. Neither have I loved to drink Tequila. I'm not really big on alcohol." she explained, "After a while, Adriana left the bar, leaving me alone with the bartender Joe, at the bar."

"Then what happened?" he asked her. Although he already knew what happened next. He has had the same dream. Next he would walk up to her, flirt with her and eventually have sex with her. Great sex.

"Then this man sits down next to me. A man who looked like you. You could be twins. We flirt, have a couple of more drinks..."

He nodded again, "And then we end up having sex in my aparment. Two times. That would be the first dream." he finished the dream. It was the same dream. He had the same dream. Only from another perpective. From his perspective. This was incredible. Unbelievable.

"Yeah... You had the same dream. You have the same dreams as I do. How is this possible?" she asked shocked.

He didn't know the answer. To him it was as incredible as it was to her. "But I don't have them for a year. I only have those dream for about two weeks. Since my father got remarried, actually."

She nodded, "How far are you? What was your last dream?"

"Basically you were telling me that you were pregnant. In my dream."

She nodded, "You're not that far, huh?"

He looked at her confused.

"You will probably die after a car accident. Along with me. We will have two children. They are about nine when we die. And I would be pregnant with the third..." she said laughing. "This is crazy. We shouldn't even be talking about this right now." she said and got up.

"You're right." he agreed with her, "Those are just stupid dreams. They mean nothing. Absolutely nothing."

"Exactly. We should just forget about them..." she said and brushed through her dark brown locks.

"How long are you already here?" he asked her, changing the subject.

"You already know." she said with her eyes focused on her chart.

"Did anybody visit you in this year?"

"My sister was here once. Just a couple of days after I got here. The visit went well at first. But at the end some psycho attacked her, leaving Anna traumatized. She never even thought about coming her again."

"Do you miss her?"

"She's my sister. She's family. Of course I do."

"What about your mother?"

She shook her head, "She didn't visit me. She won't forgive me and doesn't want anything to do with me. She can't seem to understand why I did what I did. Because she loved him. Which is a ridiculous excuse if you ask me."

"You don't believe that you can love such a person? Maybe he was different when she first met him."

"So she's holding on to an illusion of him which no longer exists. That makes her pathetic. More pathetic than me."

"You think you are pathetic?"

"No, I don't think anything about myself. In the end, I don't let what people say about me get to my head. I used to. But not anymore."

He nodded, "Do you have a place to stay after you get out of here?"

Was that an offer? She shrugged, "I will find a place to stay. Somewhere."

"What about your study? Are you going to continue studying medicine?"

"At some college, yeah. I know that no ivy college is going to take me. So I am hoping for a public university."

"How far were you before the murder?"

"Nearly done. I was in my last semester. But I missed graduation. So I didn't get my diploma." she said and got up to walk to the window again.

"So you just need your diploma."

"Yes. But I know that Yale threw me out, which means I won't get the diploma. I have to take the exams again. The finale exams."

He nodded, "I might have a solution for that..."

"What do you mean?"

"I graduated at Harvad Medical. And I know some people who still owe me something..."

She looked at him shocked, "Are you saying that-"

"I could get you in. You have to make your last semester again, though."

"Why would you do that? This could have serious consequences for you. After all, you're helping an insane one here."

He shrugged, "Believe it or not, but I somehow feel connected to you."

She brushed through her locks, "That's funny. Because I feel the same way. And I have no explanation for that. This is crazy. Beyond crazy."

He nodded, "Yes, this is crazy." he agreed and got up. "I feel like I know you better than anybody else."

"Only that you don't know _me_, but you know this woman from your dreams. I am not her. I am not this whore who she used to be. I am not this lovely woman, who accidentally gets knocked up. I am not the mother of two children. I am not the famous producer. I am not _her_." she explained with a couple of gestures.

"No you're not. And I am not the man you've dreamt about. But fact is, you did. Maybe this should show us something."

"And what? Show us that we could have had a life together if we would have made different choices? Show us that despite this..." she stopped with her eyes focused on the raindrops.

Silence filled the room for minutes.

"Well if you can't say it then maybe I should. Perhaps, it should show us that we are soulmates."

"I don't believe in soulmates." she lied.

"But I do. And it's true."

She looked at him, "How could you say that?"

"Oh come on, like you didn't thought the same."

"But... No."

"Maybe we should get to know each other."

"Are you asking me out? Someone you don't know?"

"I do know you. For about 30 minutes."

She laughed, "And those 30 minutes tell you what?"

"That you are reckless, but you are responsible as well. You're stubborn. And you make your choices wisely. You are not impulsive. But your act was impulsive as you killed your father. Which doesn't make me think that you are insane by the way."

"And that makes you want to date me? Really? _Me_?" she asked him surprised.

"Don't act like you don't want to get to know me as well. Our dreams brought us together. So let's find out what comes after. We should go out. Find out if there's more which connects us than those dreams."

She nodded, "You got me convinced. Okay, I will go out with you."

"Good." he agreed, "I'll pick you up after you get out of here."

"How will you find me? Maybe I will be living in a whole different city."

He smiled, "You will live in Cambridge, because you will be in college again."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because as much as I know you, you will go to Harvard. You want to be a doctor. And this is your only shot." he explained.

She nodded, "Okay..."

"Oh and one more thing." he said and walked to her.

"What?" she asked him confused.

"That." he said and kissed her. Gabriella returned his kiss and ran her fingers through his brown hair. Both stood there for minutes, not letting go off each other's lips.

"Why did you do that?" Gabriella asked him surprised after the kiss.

He shrugged, "Just wanted to know if you're as good at kissing as I dreamed you would be." he explained.

"I thought you would save the kiss at least until our first date." she said and smiled.

He returned her smile and walked to the door.

"Wait! Am I as good as you thought I'd be?"

He grinned, "I'll let you know..."

And then he closed the door, leaving her in her own world. Her own prison. The prison she would break out. Break out of here, and break into a whole new future. Perhaps a future with the man of her dreams. Perhaps a future without him. But she had to find out for sure. Find out if there was more to this man than the dreams which conntected them.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed this epilogue. As I said, it is something different.<strong>

**Please review :)**

**Xoxo Nic  
><strong>


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